Decomposition and oxidation of methanol on platinum: A study by in situ X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and mass spectrometry

The reactions of the catalytic oxidation and decomposition of methanol on the atomically smooth and high-defect Pt(111) single-crystal surfaces were studied using in situ temperature-programmed reaction and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. It was found that the decomposition of methanol on both of the surfaces occurred via two reaction pathways: complete dehydrogenation to CO and decomposition with the C-O bond cleavage. Although the rate of reaction via the latter pathway was lower than the rate of dehydrogenation by three orders of magnitude, the carbon formed as a result of the C-O bond cleavage can be accumulated on the surface of platinum to prevent the further course of the reaction. It was shown that oxygen exhibits high activity toward the formed carbon deposits. As a result, the rate of methanol conversion in the presence of oxygen in a gas phase increased by one or two orders of magnitude; in this case, CO₂ and water appeared in the composition of the reaction products as a result of the oxidation of CO and hydrogen, respectively. The high-defect surface of platinum was more active in the reactions of methanol decomposition and oxidation than the atomically smooth Pt(111) single-crystal surface. On the former, selectivity for the formation of methanol dehydrogenation products in oxygen deficiency was higher than on the latter. The main reaction pathways of the decomposition and oxidation of methanol on platinum were considered.     

The dual pathway in action: decoupling parallel routes for CO2 production during the oscillatory electro-oxidation of methanol

As in the case of most small organic molecules, the electro-oxidation of methanol to CO(2) is believed to proceed through a so-called dual pathway mechanism. The direct pathway proceeds via reactive intermediates such as formaldehyde or formic acid, whereas the indirect pathway occurs in parallel, and proceeds via the formation of adsorbed carbon monoxide (CO(ad)). Despite the extensive literature on the electro-oxidation of methanol, no study to date distinguished the production of CO(2) from direct and indirect pathways. Working under, far-from-equilibrium, oscillatory conditions, we were able to decouple, for the first time, the direct and indirect pathways that lead to CO(2) during the oscillatory electro-oxidation of methanol on platinum. The CO(2) production was followed by differential electrochemical mass spectrometry and the individual contributions of parallel pathways were identified by a combination of experiments and numerical simulations. We believe that our report opens some perspectives, particularly as a methodology to be used to identify the role played by surface modifiers in the relative weight of both pathways-a key issue to the effective development of catalysts for low temperature fuel cells.     

The kinetics of CO pathway in methanol oxidation at Pt electrodes, a quantitative study by ATR-FTIR spectroscopy

Methanol (MeOH) oxidation reaction (MOR) at Pt electrodes under potentiostatic conditions has been investigated by electrochemical in situ FTIR spectroscopy (FTIRS) in attenuated-total-reflection configuration under controlled flow conditions in 0.1 M HClO(4) with 2 M MeOH, where the mass transport effects are largely eliminated using a flow cell. Our results reveal that (i) at constant potentials, the methanol dehydrogenation rate decreases while the CO(ad) oxidation rate increases with the accumulation of CO(ad) until the maximum CO(ad) coverage (ca. 0.5 ML i.e., the steady state) is reached; (ii) at fixed CO(ad) coverage, the rates for MeOH decomposition to CO(ad) and CO(ad) oxidation increases with potential from 0.3 to 0.7 V (vs. RHE), with Tafel slopes for MeOH dehydrogenation of ca. 440 ± 30 mV/dec, which is independent of CO(ad) coverage; (iii) the current efficiency of the CO pathway in MOR at 0.6 and 0.7 V is below 20% and it decreases toward higher potentials. The mechanisms as well as the potential induced change in the kinetics of different pathways involved in MOR are briefly discussed.     

CO and methanol adsorption on (2 × 1)Pt(110) and ion‐eroded Pt(111) model catalysts

Methanol adsorption on ion‐sputtered Pt(111) surface exhibiting high concentration of vacancy islands and on (2 × 1)Pt(110) single crystal were investigated by means of photoelectron spectroscopy (PES) and thermal desorption spectroscopy. The measurements showed that methanol adsorbed at low temperature on sputtered Pt(111) and on (2 × 1)Pt(110) surfaces decomposed upon heating. The PES data of methanol adsorption were compared to the data of CO adsorbed on the same Pt single crystal surfaces. In the case of the sputtered Pt(111) surface, the dehydrogenation of H_xCO intermediates is followed by the CO bond breakage. On the (2 × 1)Pt(110) surface, carbon monoxide, as product of methanol decomposition, desorbed molecularly without appearance of any traces of atomic carbon. By comparing both platinum surfaces we conclude that methanol decomposition occurs at higher temperature on sputtered Pt(111) than on (2 × 1)Pt(110). Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Reforming of oxygenates for H2 production: correlating reactivity of ethylene glycol and ethanol on Pt(111) and Ni/Pt(111) with surface d-band center

The dehydrogenation and decarbonylation of ethylene glycol and ethanol were studied using temperature programmed desorption (TPD) on Pt(111) and Ni/Pt(111) bimetallic surfaces, as probe reactions for the reforming of oxygenates for the production of H2 for fuel cells. Ethylene glycol reacted via dehydrogenation to form CO and H2, corresponding to the desired reforming reaction, and via total decomposition to produce C(ad), O(ad), and H2. Ethanol reacted by three reaction pathways, dehydrogenation, decarbonylation, and total decomposition, producing CO, H2, CH4, C(ad), and O(ad). Surfaces prepared by deposition of a monolayer of Ni on Pt(111) at 300 K, designated Ni-Pt-Pt(111), displayed increased reforming activity compared to Pt(111), subsurface monolayer Pt-Ni-Pt(111), and thick Ni/Pt(111). Reforming activity was correlated with the d-band center of the surfaces and displayed a linear trend for both ethylene glycol and ethanol, with activity increasing as the surface d-band center moved closer to the Fermi level. This trend was opposite to that previously observed for hydrogenation reactions, where increased activity occurred on subsurface monolayers as the d-band center shifted away from the Fermi level. Extrapolation of the correlation between activity and the surface d-band center of bimetallic systems may provide useful predictions for the selection and rational design of bimetallic catalysts for the reforming of oxygenates.     

Methanol dehydrogenation and oxidation on Pt(111) in alkaline solutions

Adsorption, dehydrogenation, and oxidation of methanol on Pt(111) in alkaline solutions has been examined from a fundamental mechanistic perspective, focusing on the role of adsorbate-adsorbate interactions and the effect of defects on reactivity. CO has been confirmed as the main poisoning species, affecting the rate of methanol dehydrogenation primarily through repulsive interactions with methanol dehydrogenation intermediates. At direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC)-relevant potentials, methanol oxidation occurs almost entirely through a CO intermediate, and the rate of CO oxidation is the main limiting factor in methanol oxidation. Small Pt island defects greatly enhance CO oxidation, though they are effective only when the CO coverage is 0.20 ML or higher. Large Pt islands enhance CO oxidation as well, but unlike small Pt islands, they also promote methanol dehydrogenation. Perturbations in electronic structure are responsible for the CO oxidation effect of defects, but the role of large Pt islands in promoting methanol dehydrogenation is primarily explained by surface geometric structure.     

Adsorbed intermediates of formaldehyde oxidation and their role in the reaction mechanism

Formaldehyde oxidation was studied on the basal planes of platinum single crystals. Electrochemical and IR spectroscopy data give new information on the mechanism of oxidation. Formaldehyde oxidation at platinum electrodes is a surface-sensitive reaction. From the three basal planes of Pt(hkl), Pt(111) is the most active one. The less active surfaces Pt(100) and Pt(110) are blocked by adsorbed carbon monoxide at the initial stages of the reaction as the formaldehyde is admitted in the solution with the electrode polarized at 0.05 V. Besides CO(ad), other adsorbed species are formed. From these, methylene glycolate, H2COO(ad), is the intermediate of the fast oxidation pathways forming CO2 and HCOOH as soluble products. According to IR data the yields of soluble products at Pt(111) were calculated at 0.6 V, giving 63% for HCOOH and 37% for CO2. At 0.05 V the Pt(111) surface becomes slowly blocked by CO(ad), as observed when the electrode was left in contact with the formaldehyde solution over a period of several minutes. The same blockage occurs during a cyclic voltammogram, which causes a lowering of activity during the second potential scan. A general scheme of the reaction is proposed.     

铂催化甲醇氧化开始步骤的研究

用ab initio和密度泛函(DFT)方法研究甲醇在铂低指数晶面的脱氢步骤. 在经典的Bagotzky模型计算的基础上提出了三种新的吸附脱氢模型, 并通过计算证明了三种模型的可行性, 计算证实了原位波谱法检测到的甲醇在铂上脱氢的三种中间体, CHOH, CH₂OH和CH₃O. 得出了甲醇脱氢的根本原因在于形成的强Pt—H键, 且在Pt不同的晶面上, 催化性能及反应历程、中间产物都不同.     

Application of in-situ attenuated total reflection-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy for the understanding of complex reaction mechanism and kinetics: formic acid oxidation on a Pt film electrode at elevated temperatures

The potential of in-situ Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy measurements in an attenuated total reflection configuration (ATR-FTIRS) for the evaluation of reaction pathways, elementary reaction steps, and their kinetics is demonstrated for formic acid electrooxidation on a Pt film electrode. Quantitative kinetic information on two elementary steps, formic acid dehydration and CO(ad) oxidation, and on the contributions of the related pathways in the dual path reaction mechanism are derived from IR spectroscopic signals in simultaneous electrochemical and ATR-FTIRS measurements over a wide temperature range (25-80 degrees C). Linearly and multiply bonded CO(ad) and bridge-bonded formate are the only formic acid related stable reaction intermediates detected. With increasing temperature, the steady-state IR signal of CO(ad) increases, while that of formate decreases. Reaction rates for CO(ad) formation via formic acid dehydration and for CO(ad) oxidation as well as the activation energies of these processes were determined at different temperatures, potentials, and surface conditions (with and without preadsorbed CO from formic acid dehydration) from the temporal evolution of the IR intensities of CO(ad) during adsorption/reaction transients, using an IR intensity-CO(ad) coverage calibration. At potentials up to 0.75 V and temperatures from 25 to 80 degrees C, the "indirect" CO pathway contributes less than 5% (at potentials < or =0.6 V significantly below 1%) to the total Faradaic reaction current, making the "direct" pathway by far the dominant one under the present reaction conditions. Much higher activation energies for CO(ad) formation and CO(ad) oxidation compared with the effective activation energy of the total reaction, derived from the Faradaic currents, support this conclusion.     

Electrocatalytic mechanism and kinetics of SOMs oxidation on ordered PtPb and PtBi intermetallic compounds: DEMS and FTIRS study

The electrocatalytic activities and mechanisms of PtPb and PtBi ordered intermetallic phases towards formic acid, formaldehyde and methanol oxidation have been studied by DEMS and FTIRS, and the results compared to those for a pure polycrystalline platinum electrode. While PtPb exhibits an enhanced electrocatalytic activity for the oxidation of all three organic molecules when compared to a Pt electrode, PtBi exhibits an enhanced catalytic activity towards formic acid and formaldehyde oxidation, but not methanol. FTIRS data indicate that adsorbed CO does not form on PtPb or PtBi intermetallic compounds during the oxidation of formic acid, formaldehyde and methanol, and therefore their oxidation on both PtPb and PtBi intermetallic compounds proceeds via a non-CO(ads) pathway. Quantitative DEMS measurements indicate that only CO(2) was detected as a final product during formic acid oxidation on Pt, PtPb and PtBi electrodes. At a smooth polycrystalline platinum electrode, the oxidation of formaldehyde and methanol produces mainly intermediates (formaldehyde and formic acid), while CO(2) is a minor product. In contrast, CO(2) is the major product for formaldehyde and methanol oxidation at a PtPb electrode. The high current efficiency of CO(2) formation for methanol and formaldehyde oxidation at a PtPb electrode can be ascribed to the complete dehydrogenation of formaldehyde and formic acid due to electronic effects. The low onset potential, high current density and high CO(2) yield make PtPb one of the most promising electrocatalysts for fuel cell applications using small organic molecules as fuels.     

A first-principles study of methanol decomposition on Pt(111)

A periodic, self-consistent, Density Functional Theory study of methanol decomposition on Pt(111) is presented. The thermochemistry and activation energy barriers for all the elementary steps, starting with O[bond]H scission and proceeding via sequential hydrogen abstraction from the resulting methoxy intermediate, are presented here. The minimum energy path is represented by a one-dimensional potential energy surface connecting methanol with its final decomposition products, CO and hydrogen gas. It is found that the rate-limiting step for this decomposition pathway is the abstraction of hydroxyl hydrogen from methanol. CO is clearly identified as a strong thermodynamic sink in the reaction pathway while the methoxy, formaldehyde, and formyl intermediates are found to have low barriers to decomposition, leading to very short lifetimes for these intermediates. Stable intermediates and transition states are found to obey gas-phase coordination and bond order rules on the Pt(111) surface.     

Manipulation of electrocatalytic reaction pathways through surface chemistry: in situ Fourier transform infrared spectroscopic studies of 1,3-butanediol oxidation on a Pt surface modified with Sb and S adatoms

Cyclic voltammetry and in situ Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy were employed to study the electrocatalytic properties of a Pt electrode modified with adatoms of antimony (Sb) or sulfur (S) for 1,3-butanediol (1,3-BD) oxidation. The results demonstrated the possibility of manipulating the reaction pathways involved in 1,3-BD oxidation through chemical modification of the Pt electrode surface. Both Sb and S adatoms (Sb(ad) and S(ad)) can inhibit the dissociative reaction of 1,3-BD into CO, which is the main source of self-poisoning in electrocatalysis of small organic molecules. On Pt electrodes modified with a high coverage of Sb(ad) (Pt/Sb(ad)) the onset oxidation potential of 1,3-BD has been significantly decreased, which is attributed to the fact that the oxidation of Sb(ad) occurs at lower potentials than that of the Pt surface. In situ FTIR results illustrated that, although at potentials below 0.5 V (vs a saturated calomel electrode), at which the Sb(ad) is stable on the Pt electrode surface, both carbonyl and CO2 species have been observed, the principal oxidation products of 1,3-BD are carbonyl species. Such results indicate that the reaction is mainly the dehydrogenation of 1,3-BD molecules. However, at potentials above 0.5 V the proportion of CO2 species in the oxidation products increases quickly, implying that the reaction has turned to the breakage of C-C bonds in 1,3-BD molecules and the subsequent oxidation of the cleaved fragments. In contrast with the cases of 1,3-BD oxidation on Pt and Pt/Sb(ad) electrodes, the reaction of 1,3-BD oxidation on a Pt electrode modified with S adatoms (Pt/S(ad)) is oriented completely to the production of carbonyl species when electrode potentials are below 0.9 V, though the reaction activity is relatively low. When the electrode potential is increased above 0.9 V, the intensity of the CO2 IR band in the FTIR spectra increases rapidly, corresponding to a fast oxidation of 1,3-BD on surface Pt sites recovered by the oxidation and desorption of S(ad) from the Pt surface.     

Characterization and methanol electrooxidation studies of Pt(111)/Os surfaces prepared by spontaneous deposition

Catalytic activity of the Pt(111)/Os surface toward methanol electrooxidation was optimized by exploring a wide range of Os coverage. Various methods of surface analyses were used, including electroanalytical, STM, and XPS methods. The Pt(111) surface was decorated with nanosized Os islands by spontaneous deposition, and the Os coverage was controlled by changing the exposure time to the Os-containing electrolyte. The structure of Os deposits on Pt(111) was characterized and quantified by in situ STM and stripping voltammetry. We found that the optimal Os surface coverage of Pt(111) for methanol electrooxidation was 0.7 +/- 0.1 ML, close to 1.0 +/- 0.1 Os packing density. Apparently, the high osmium coverage Pt(111)/Os surface provides more of the necessary oxygen-containing species (e.g., Os-OH) for effective methanol electrooxidation than the Pt(111)/Os surfaces with lower Os coverage (vs e.g., Ru-OH). Supporting evidence for this conjecture comes from the CO electrooxidation data, which show that the onset potential for CO stripping is lowered from 0.53 to 0.45 V when the Os coverage is increased from 0.2 to 0.7 ML. However, the activity of Pt(111)/Os for methanol electrooxidation decreases when the Os coverage is higher than 0.7 +/- 0.1 ML, indicating that Pt sites uncovered by Os are necessary for sustaining significant methanol oxidation rates. Furthermore, osmium is inactive for methanol electrooxidation when the platinum substrate is absent: Os deposits on Au(111), a bulk Os ingot, and thick films of electrodeposited Os on Pt(111), all compare poorly to Pt(111)/Os. We conclude that a bifunctional mechanism applies to the methanol electrooxidation similarly to Pt(111)/Ru, although with fewer available Pt sites. Finally, the potential window for methanol electrooxidation on Pt(111)/Os was observed to shift positively versus Pt(111)/Ru. Because of the difference in the Os and Ru oxophilicity under electrochemical conditions, the Os deposit provides fewer oxygen-containing species, at least below 0.5 V vs RHE. Both higher coverage of Os than Ru and the higher potentials are required to provide a sufficient number of active oxygen-containing species for the effective removal of the site-blocking CO from the catalyst surface when the methanol electrooxidation process occurs.     

Infrared spectroscopic study of the methanol adsorbates at a platinum electrode: Part II. The Pt (100) surface in an acid medium

The dissociative chemisorption of methanol at a platinum electrode in an acid medium has been studied by electrochemically modulated infrared reflectance spectroscopy and leads to the formation of several adsorbates, depending on the electrode potential and the surface structure.In this part of the series, three types of adsorbate were identified on a well-defined Pt (100) surface: linearly bonded CO, bridge-bonded CO and a third species which is likely to have a carbonyl CO bond. These three species are potential-dependent, but, conversely to polycrystalline platinum, they coexist on the Pt (100) surface at all bulk concentrations of methanol, in the range 5 × 10⁻⁴ to 5 M.     

Modification of a Pt surface by spontaneous Sn deposition for electrocatalytic applications. 2. Oxidation of CO,formaldehyde, formic acid,and methanol

The electrocatalytic activity of a spontaneously tin-modified Pt catalyst, fabricated through a simple dip-coating method under open-circuit conditions and characterized using surface analysis methods, was studied in electrooxidation reactions of a preadsorbed CO monolayer and continuous oxidation of methanol, formic acid, and formaldehyde in the potentiodynamic and potentiostatic modes. The catalytic activity of the tin-modified Pt surface is compared with that of a polycrystalline Pt electrode. Spontaneously Sn-modified Pt catalyst shows a superior activity toward adsorbed CO oxidation and thus can be promising for PEFC applications. The methanol oxidation rate is not enhanced on the Sn-modified Pt surface, compared to the Pt electrode. Formic acid oxidation is enhanced in the low potential region on the Sn-modified surface, compared to the Pt electrode. The formaldehyde oxidation rate is dramatically increased by modifying tin species at the most negative potentials, where anodic formaldehyde oxidation is completely suppressed on the pure Pt electrode. The results are discussed in terms of poisoning CO intermediate formation resulting from dehydrogenation of organic molecules on Pt sites, and oxidation of poisoning adsorbed CO species via the surface reaction with OH adsorbed on neighboring Sn sites.     

Surface engineering of Pt surfaces with Au and cobalt oxide nanostructures for enhanced formic acid electro-oxidation

This study aims to mitigate the CO poisoning of platinum (Pt) surfaces during formic acid electro-oxidation (FAEO), the essential anodic reaction in the direct formic acid fuel cells (DFAFCs). For this purpose, a glassy carbon (GC) electrode was amended sequentially with Pt (n-Pt), gold (n-Au), and cobalt oxide (n-CoOx) nanostructures. Fascinatingly, the ternary modified n-CoOx/n-Au/n-Pt/GC catalyst (for which n-Pt, n-Au, and n-CoOx were sequentially and respectively assembled onto the GC surface) exhibited a remarkable electrocatalytic enhancement toward FAEO, which surpassed ca. 53 times that of the Pt/GC catalyst. Additionally, it exhibited a much (ca. 18 times) higher stability after 3000 s of continuous electrolysis. The observed enhancement was proven to originate from driving the reaction mechanism principally to the desirable direct dehydrogenation pathway on the expense of the poisoning dehydration path. The impedance and CO stripping measurements confirmed the prevailing of both the electronic and third body effects in the catalytic enhancement.     

Comparative theoretical study of formaldehyde decomposition on PdZn, Cu, and Pd surfaces

Methanol steam reforming, catalyzed by Pd/ZnO (PdZn alloy), is a potential source of hydrogen for on-board fuel cells. CO has been reported to be a minor side product of methanol decomposition that occurs in parallel to methanol steam reforming on PdZn catalysts. However, fuel cells currently used in vehicles are very sensitive to CO poisoning. To contribute to the understanding of pertinent reaction mechanisms, we employed density functional slab model calculations to study the decomposition of formaldehyde, a key intermediate in methanol decomposition and steam reforming reactions, on planar surfaces of Pd, Cu, and PdZn as well as on a stepped surface of PdZn. The calculated activation energies indicate that dehydrogenation of formaldehyde is favorable on Pd(111), but unfavorable on Cu(111) and PdZn(111). On the stepped PdZn(221) surface, the dehydrogenation process was calculated to be more competitive to formaldehyde desorption than on PdZn(111). Thus, we ascribe the experimentally observed small amount of CO, formed during steam reforming of methanol on the Pd/ZnO catalyst, to occur at metallic Pd species of the catalyst or at defect sites of PdZn alloy.     

酸性介质中1,2-丙二醇在铂电极上吸附和氧化过程的原位FTIR反射光谱研究

应用电化学循环伏安和原位FTIR反射光谱研究1,2-丙二醇在Pt电极上吸附和氧化过程。结果指出1,2-丙二醇的电氧化可按双途径进行。其一经1,2-丙二醇在Pt上解离吸附产物氧化至CO_2。但在较低电位下这些解离吸附产物(红外检测为CO_(ad)、[﹥C=CH_2]_(ad)等)累积吸附于电极上, 毒化Pt表面抑制其它反应。当电位大于0.3 V后它们一经生成即氧化脱附, 从而使1,2-丙二醇得以在未毒化Pt表面经反应中间体氧化至CO_2。在实验条件下,原位FTIR反射光谱检测到的反应中间体可能有HOC-CHOHCH_3(或CH_2OHCOCH_3)和HOOC-COCH_3(或HOOC-CHOHCH_3)等物种。     

Effect of the iridium oxide thin film on the electrochemical activity of platinum nanoparticles

The influence of the iridium oxide thin film on the electrocatalytic properties of platinum nanoparticles was investigated using the electro-oxidation of methanol and CO as a probe. The presence of the IrO(2) thin film leads to the homogeneous dispersion of Pt nanoparticles. For comparison, polycrystalline platinum and Pt nanoparticles dispersed on a Ti substrate in the absence of an IrO(2) layer (Ti/Pt) were also investigated in this study. Inverted and enhanced CO bipolar peaks were observed using an in situ electrochemical Fourier transform infrared technique during the methanol oxidation on the Pt nanoparticles dispersed on a Ti substrate. Electrochemical impedance studies showed that the charge transfer resistance was significantly lower for the Ti/IrO(2)/Pt electrode compared with that of the massive Pt and Ti/Pt nanoparticles. The presence of the IrO(2) thin film not only greatly increases the active surface area but also promotes CO oxidation at a much lower electrode potential, thus, significantly enhancing the electrocatalytic activity of Pt nanoparticles toward methanol electro-oxidation.     

Influence of structural defects on the electrocatalytic activity of platinum

Structural defects play major role in catalysis and electrocatalysis. Nanocrystalline (or nanostructured) materials composed of nanometer-sized crystallites joined via grain boundaries have been recognized for their specific structure and properties, differentiating them from single crystals, coarsely grained materials or nanometer-sized supported single-grained particles (Gleiter, Nanostruct Mater 1:1–19, 1992). In this paper, we use Pt electrodes, prepared by electrodeposition on glassy carbon and gold supports, as model nanocrystalline materials to explore the influence of grain boundaries and other structural defects on electrocatalysis of CO and methanol oxidation. We build on the recently established correlations between the nanostructure (lattice parameter, grain size, and microstrains) of electrodeposited Pt and the deposition potential (Plyasova et al., Electrochim. Acta 51:4447–4488, 2006) and use the latter to obtain materials with variable density of grain boundary regions. The activity of electrodeposited Pt in the oxidation of methanol and adsorbed CO exceeds greatly that for Pt(111), polycrystalline Pt, or single-grained Pt particles. It is proposed that active sites in nanostructured Pt are located at the emergence of grain boundaries at the surface. For methanol electrooxidation, the electrodes with optimal nanostructure exhibit relatively high rates of the “direct” oxidation pathway and of the oxidation of strongly adsorbed poisoning intermediate (CO_ads), but not-too-high methanol dehydrogenation rate constant. These electrodes exhibit an initial current increase during potentiostatic methanol oxidation explained by the CO_ads oxidation rate constant exceeding the methanol decomposition rate constant.