Modern trends in analytical chemistry. Analytical chemistry symposia : Series, Vol. 18. Part A...

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398 of new sorts of cells. Then the fuel cell research, initiating the study of porous electrodes and extensive investigations of electrode materials as well as new non- aqueous liquid and solid electrolytes, brought a considerable quantity of new cells with interesting properties. Some of these systems are commercially available. A completely modern monograph on electrochemical Power sources, under- standable also to non-electrochemists, was badly needed. Now this gap has been filled by Modern Batteries. The book consists of eight chapters. A very clearly written introduction to electrochemical thermodynamics, which can be easily read by electrochemical laymen, is the subject of the first chapter. In the next two chapters the classical field of primary and secondary cells is dealt with, of course including all recent developments. The effort to achieve a considerable : increase of EMF together with a decrease in weight of the cell resulted in the introduction of alkali metals, particularly of lithium, as anode materials. Thus, the fourth chapter is concerned with cells consisting of a lithium electrode and an organic solvent. The chapter on high temperature cells includes lithium and sodium batteries. Particular attention is paid to the sodium--sulphur system which, as we hope, will drive our future electrical vehicles. The seventh chapter deals with solid state cells based on solid electrolytes. As an interesting case intercalation compounds are mentioned as useful electrode materials. The sub- ject .of the last chapter is secondary hybrid systems, i.e. metal--air, metal-- halogen and hydrogen--metal cells. The fuel cells have not been included Ln the book as they have been extensively dealt with in other recent texts. The authors should be congratulated with their excellent freshly written book which should find broad readership not only among electrochemists but also among specialists in the field of electrical engineering and technology. J. KORYTA Prague Modern Trends in Analytical Chemistry. Analytical Chemistry Symposia Series, Vol. 18. Part A edited by E. Pungor and I. Buz~s. Part B edited by E. Pungor, G.E. Verecs and I. Buz~s. Elsevier, Amsterdam, 1984, xiii + 432 pp. (Part A) and viii + 195 pp. (Part B), US$134.50. This volume binds under one cover the proceedings of two quite separate symposia which happen to have been held one after the other in Matrafiised, Hungary in October 1982. The lack of common interest in the subjects is indicated by the few n3mes in common between the two lists of participants; there is in fact only one but presumably the editors, a~. least, should also be counted in this number. The first and larger part is more closely related to electrochemical interests as indicated by its title "Electrochemical Detection in Flow Analysis". Voltam- metric, ion selective and conductimetric methods are covered particularly with reference to use in combination with chromatographic methods. The first plenary lecture is by the "grand old re_an" of this subject Wiktor Kemula. There are eight other plenary and keynote lectures followed by 13 discussion

Transcript of Modern trends in analytical chemistry. Analytical chemistry symposia : Series, Vol. 18. Part A...

Page 1: Modern trends in analytical chemistry. Analytical chemistry symposia : Series, Vol. 18. Part A edited by E. Pungor and I. Buzás. Part B edited by E. Pungor, G.E. Verecs and I. Buzás.

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o f n e w sor ts o f cells. T h e n t h e fue l cell research , in i t i a t ing the s t u d y o f p o r o u s e l ec t rodes and ex tens ive inves t iga t ions o f e l e c t r o d e mate r i a l s as well as n e w non- a q u e o u s l iquid and solid e l ec t ro ly tes , b r o u g h t a cons ide rab l e q u a n t i t y o f n e w cells wi th in te res t ing proper t ies . S o m e o f these s y s t e m s are c o m m e r c i a l l y available.

A c o m p l e t e l y m o d e r n m o n o g r a p h on e l e c t r o c h e m i c a l P o w e r sources, under - s t andab le also to non -e l ec t rochemis t s , was b a d l y needed . N o w this g a p has been f i l led by M o d e r n Bat ter ies . The b o o k cons is t s o f e igh t chap te r s . A ve ry c lear ly wr i t t en i n t r o d u c t i o n to e l e c t rochemica l t h e r m o d y n a m i c s , w h i c h can b e easi ly read by e l ec t rochemica l l a y m e n , is t he sub jec t o f t h e f i rs t chap te r . I n t he n e x t t w o chap t e r s t h e classical f ie ld o f p r i m a r y and s e c o n d a r y cells is d e a l t wi th , o f course inc lud ing all r e cen t deve lopmen t s . T h e e f f o r t t o achieve a cons ide rab l e : increase o f E M F t o g e t h e r w i th a decrease in w e i g h t o f t h e cell r e su l t ed in t h e i n t r o d u c t i o n o f alkali meta ls , pa r t i cu la r ly o f l i t h ium, as a n o d e mater ia ls . Thus , t he f o u r t h c h a p t e r is c o n c e r n e d wi th cells cons i s t ing o f a l i t h i u m e l ec t rode and an organic so lven t . T h e c h a p t e r on high t e m p e r a t u r e cells inc ludes l i t h i u m and s o d i u m bat ter ies . Par t icu la r a t t e n t i o n is pa id to t h e s o d i u m - - s u l p h u r s y s t e m which, as we hope , will dr ive o u r f u t u r e electr ical vehicles. T h e seven th c h a p t e r deals w i th solid s ta te cells based on solid e l ec t ro ly tes . As an in t e re s t ing case i n t e r ca l a t i on c o m p o u n d s are m e n t i o n e d as use fu l e l ec t rode mater ia ls . T h e sub- j ec t .of t he last c h a p t e r is s e c o n d a r y h y b r i d sys tems , i.e. meta l - -a i r , m e t a l - - ha logen and h y d r o g e n - - m e t a l cells. T h e fue l cells have n o t been i n c l u d e d Ln t h e b o o k as t h e y have been ex tens ive ly dea l t wi th in o t h e r r e c e n t t ex ts .

T h e a u t h o r s shou ld be c o n g r a t u l a t e d w i th t he i r exce l l en t f r esh ly wr i t t en b o o k which shou ld f ind b road readersh ip n o t o n l y a m o n g e l e c t r o c h e m i s t s b u t also a m o n g special ists in t h e f ield o f e lectr ical eng ineer ing and t e c h n o l o g y .

J. KORYTA Prague

M o d e r n Trends in A n a l y t i c a l Chemis t ry . Ana ly t i c a l C h e m i s t r y S y m p o s i a Series, Vol. 18. Par t A ed i t ed b y E. P u n g o r a n d I. Buz~s. Pa r t B ed i t ed by E. Pungor , G.E. Verecs a n d I. Buz~s. Elsevier, A m s t e r d a m , 1 9 8 4 , xiii + 432 pp. (Par t A) and viii + 195 pp. (Par t B), U S $ 1 3 4 . 5 0 .

This v o l u m e b inds u n d e r o n e cover t h e p roceed ings o f t w o qu i t e separa te s y m p o s i a wh ich h a p p e n to have been he ld one a f t e r t h e o t h e r in Mat raf i i sed , H u n g a r y in O c t o b e r 1982 . T h e lack o f c o m m o n in t e res t in t h e subjec ts is i nd i ca t ed by t h e few n3mes in c o m m o n b e t w e e n t h e t w o lists o f pa r t i c ipan t s ; t h e r e is in f ac t o n l y o n e b u t p r e s u m a b l y t h e ed i to rs , a~. least , shou ld also be c o u n t e d in th is n u m b e r .

The f i rs t a n d larger p a r t is m o r e c lose ly r e l a t ed t o e l ec t rochemica l in te res t s as i nd i ca t ed by its t i t le " E l e c t r o c h e m i c a l D e t e c t i o n in F l o w Ana lys i s " . Vo l t am- me t r i c , ion select ive a n d c o n d u c t i m e t r i c m e t h o d s are covered p a r t i c u l a r l y w i th r e f e r ence to use in c o m b i n a t i o n w i t h c h r o m a t o g r a p h i c m e t h o d s . The f i rs t p l ena ry l ec tu re is by t h e " g r a n d o ld re_an" o f th i s sub jec t W i k t o r K e m u l a . The re are e ight o t h e r p l e n a r y and k e y n o t e l ec tu res f o l l o w e d b y 13 d iscuss ion

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l ec tures . T h e p a r t i c i p a n t s ( a b o u t 60) were p r e d o m i n a n t l y f r o m Eas t e rn E u r o p e , b u t t h e Czechos lovaks are c o n s p i c u o u s b y the i r absence . T h e d i scuss ion fo l low- ing each or each g roup is r e p o r t e d , a p p a r e n t l y i n full . I t is s o m e t i m e s i l lumina t - ing b u t a l s o a t t i m e s r a t h e r trivial. C u r i o u s l y in th is p a r t ( b u t n o t in Pa r t B) t h e r e m a r k s are r e p o r t e d a n o n y m o u s l y w i t h o n l y t h e list o f n a m e s a t t h e h e a d o f each sec t ion .

Par t B covers a m u c h m o r e genera l t op i c " P a t t e r n R e c o g n i t i o n in A n a l y t i c a l C h e m i s t r y " t h a t is essent ia l ly t h e c o m p u t e r based eva lua t ion o f da t a . I t was a smal ler m e e t i n g (40 pa r t i c ipan t s ) b u t t h e impress ion f r o m t h e d i scuss ion is t h a t t h e r e was less c o m m o n g r o u n d b e t w e e n t h e pa r t i c ipan t s . Pe rhaps th is i~ because t h e j a rgon in th is f ie ld is less well e s t ab l i shed a n d u n d e r s t o o d . I t m , l s t be said also t h a t t h e Enali.~h is in g rea t n e e d o f ed i to r i a l a t t e n t i o n .

T h e v o l u m e is we l l - p roduced in r e adab l e o f f - se t b u t t h e pr ice is high.

ROGER PARSONS Bristol