Department of Chemistry, School of Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, P.O.Box 14115-175, Tehran, Iran

Pulse current technique was applied for the preparation of novel electroactive manganese dioxide and possible influences of different electrokinetic phenomena on material characteristics were discussed. The characterizations of pulse deposited sample (pcMD) were carried out by different techniques: Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) method, Raman spectroscopy, and atomic force microscopy (AFM). SEM image revealed that pulse current could improve the current distribution. This was confirmed by AFM images showing a decrease in surface roughness of pcMDs in comparison to amorphous samples, which were deposited by direct current (dcMD). Higher distortion of MnO6 octahedral environment of dcMD was detected by FTIR and Raman spectroscopy. Cyclic voltammetric (CV) measurements showed a generally higher energy level drained from the second electron discharge of pcMD. This is mainly attributed to a higher surface area and a lower diffusion pass of electrons and protons arisen via a rather unique nanostructural arrangement of pcMD grains. Results indicate a higher surface area available for the non homogenous second electron discharge of pcMD grains.