Electrochemical behaviour of oxygen reduction on polymer carbon electrodes in alkaline media

The preparation of polymer carbon electrocatalysts by the controlled pyrolysis of polyfurfuryl alcohol polymer is described. The potentiostatic method was used to study the electrochemical behaviour of the oxygen reduction reaction on the prepared catalyst electrodes in potassium hydroxide electrolyte. A pure polymer carbon electrode and a cobalt chloride doped polymer carbon electrode were shown to be active in oxygen reduction, but the electrode containing cobalt chloride seemed the most active. The main reaction product at the pure polymer electrode is hydrogen peroxide, involving two electrons, whereas at a poly(CoCl₂) electrode the reduction process reaches partly its ultimate state, and involves at most three electrons.