Non-faradaic electrochemical modification of the catalytic activity for propane combustion of Pt/YSZ and Rh/YSZ catalyst-electrodes

The effect of non-faradaic electrochemical modification of catalytic activity (NEMCA effect) or electrochemical promotion (EP) was investigated in the total oxidation of propane on porous Pt and Rh catalyst-electrode films interfaced to 8 mol% Y₂O₃-stabilized-ZrO₂ (or YSZ), in the temperature range 425–520 °C and for sub-stoichiometric O₂ to propane ratios. Application of either positive or negative overpotentials resulted in non-faradaic increase of the catalytic rate, by up to a factor of 4 in the case of Rh and by up to a factor of 1350 in the case of Pt. The rate increase observed in the case of Pt is among the highest ones reported so far in NEMCA studies with oxygen ion conductors as active supports.