Perpetual batteries from Vasilescu-Karpen

[profitis]

I wouldn't rule out solid-state oxygen catalytic spillover in his device either.he may have mastered the rates of this process.

[profitis]

Hot on hutchison trail http://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlelanding/2010/jm/c0jm00031k picture getting clearer for resonant up-conversion

[pomodoro]

Profitis, I had the chance to try out one of these MnO2/Ni 'Karpens'.   Mno2 deposited onto Pt by an electrolytic method in electrochemical papers (MnSO4 pH 6.4 0.75V 0.4C per sqcm). I came upon this investigation as I was trying to make a pseudocapacitor of considerable capacity to replace the shiny Pt, which, in the oxygen karpen acts as a pseudocapacitor.  The platenized Pt electrode measured 100x more capacitance than the shiny electrode, and it would have been more effective to make the other electrode either more massive or have more pseudocapacitance. 0.1MNa2SO4 was found suitable with the Pt/Pt karpen and is what the MnO2 paper used for the pseudocapacitor.

The MnO2 electrode developed a massive capacitance, however, it also developed a more positive potential wrt the neutral electrolyte than either of the two platinums. This is not what you want in a cell which is supposed to reduce oXygen only. Further investigations also showed that PbO2 (anode from H2SO4) and NiO/OH electrode (anode from KOH), all develop higher potentials than the Pt electrodes.  In other words, there is no guarantee that the cell doesnt end up acting as a real cell, with the oxide itself producing all, or some of the current as it reduces back to metal or a lower oxidation state.
Is the oxide being reduced or oxygen??
In another setup, Nickel metal was tested in the neutral electrolyte (Na2SO4, which is perfect for the MnO2 deposit as a pseudo cap) as a replacement for the shiny Pt. It developed a very negative potential, which already pointed to either a great dislike to the oxygen (great)  in solution, or, corrosion of the Nickel.  To test this, a small 100uA current was passed overnight in the 0.1M Na2SO4 with nickel electrodes. In the morning blueish/green  Ni(OH)2 was found under the negative electrode, indicating the travel of Ni ions from the positive.

Acidic electrolytes cant be used here with the MnO2 and Ni,  and alkaline ones kill the Pt/Pt Karpens, but I think over days/wekks/months, you will find that the MnO2/Ni, even assuming that the MnO2 is not being reduced, will equilibrate, as the NiO/OH builds up on the electrode and shifts the potential more positive even in alkaline electrolytes.

Not saying 100% that the profits cell doesn't work,  but the use of nickel as the anode requires an oxide/hydroxide to build up for protection. This will eventually shift its potential up towards that of the MnO2, killing the battery. The MnO2 might be a great replacement for the black Pt, if it indeed reduces Oxygen.
I plan to test such a cell  made to profitis's specs more in depth for a few months to discover the truth, for now a small Pt/Pt 1N H2SO4 Karpen is being tested , being discharged every 40 seconds for one month. So far, its behaving..

[profitis]

"Not saying 100% that the profits cell doesn't work,  but the use of nickel as the anode requires an oxide/hydroxide to build up for protection. This will eventually shift its potential up towards that of the MnO2, killing the battery."

Mmmm pomodoro I was quite the infant knowledge-wise at the time when I flung that cell onto here yet later I discovered naively not necessarily incorrect.the standard potential of the nio2/ni(oh)2 couple in alkali (nicad battery cathode) is sitting just above the o2 liberation potential so the fully-charged nio2/ni(oh)2 nicad cathode can oxidize alkaline water slowly liberating o2 until a fair portion of the nio2 downgrades to ni(oh)2.this is a problem in design of such batteries so they cram graphite in there to raise the overpotential for water oxidation to prevent o2 liberation.on pure nickel the reverse can ofcourse spontaneously take place,IF IT HAS TO.so that nickel anode in my dedsign will infact auto-raise its oxidation state up to match that of the mno2/o2 potential  in alkaline media.it can even surpass it hahahaha.alot will depends on your electrode grain-size,smoothness,depth in electrolyte etc etc so you can get this particular cell to swing EITHER WAY dpending on physical state,additives,depth etc etc

[profitis]

"for now a small Pt/Pt 1N H2SO4 Karpen is being tested , being discharged every 40 seconds for one month. So far, its behaving.."

This should continue to behave if totaly sealed off pomodoro.if the crystallographies haven't evened out by now I doubt that it will change