LAUSR

Abstract Enhanced electrochemical performance of graphite electrodes can be achieved by incorporation of catalytic nanoparticles. One promising method for incorporation is in-situ radiation-synthesis where the radiolysis of water is used to drive the process of particle formation on carbon black. A potential problem is the direct reaction between radiolysis products and carbon black. In this work the reactivities of radiolytically produced HO•, (CH3)2C•OH, e-aq and H2O2 towards carbon black were investigated at room temperature with a dose rate 0.124 Gy s-1. HO• was found to react with carbon black with a rate constant of 20 ± 5 m s-1. For (CH3)2C•OH the corresponding value is 0.8 ± 0.1 m s-1. The reactivity of e-aq towards carbon black is negligible compared to that of (CH3)2C•OH. At concentrations