Particularities of Electrochemical Production of Nanocoatings and Nanopowders of Metals, Oxides, and Nitrides by Electrolysis of Acetonitrile at High Voltage Gradient

In this study, nanocoatings and/or nanopowders CdO, Cd 3 N 2 , Cu, Cu 2 O, α-C 3 N 4 , α-Si 3 N 4 , and β-Si 3 N 4 were produced using an organic solvent (acetonitrile) by activation in an electrochemical cell at a high voltage gradient (400–2000 V/cm) and different modes of non-equilibrium process on the electrodes (cathodes and anodes) in the systems Cd–Ni, Cu–Cu, and Si–Si. To explain the nature of the cathode and anodic reactions with HCOOH formic acid as an electrolyte, the Christiansen–Kramers concept for the Semenov–Hinshelwood classical kinetic theory was used along with results of previous investigations for the appropriate transformation of organics and radicals (using massspectrometry and secondary ion-ion emission). It was established that, in some cases, secondary reactions (parallel to electrolysis reactions) could take place on the corresponding electrodes according to the mechanism of heterogeneous catalysis.