Methanol Oxidation at Platinum in Alkaline Media: A Study of the Effects of Hydroxide Concentration and of Mass Transport

The hydroxide ion concentration dependence of the methanol oxidation reaction at Pt was studied using microelectrode voltammetry and rotating disk electrode voltammetry. Both methods suggest that the rate of methanol oxidation is limited by hydroxide mass transport at low hydroxide concentrations, while it is inhibited by hydroxide adsorption at high concentrations. It was possible to shift from the transport-limited regime to the inhibitory regime by varying the bulk concentration of hydroxide or by varying mass transport to the electrode. Rotating ring-disk electrode voltammetry was employed to qualitatively assess changes in the diffusion layer pH. The results indicated a decrease in the surface pH during methanol oxidation, as expected, but also that the pH reached a steady state during hydroxide transport limited methanol oxidation.     

Formate,an active intermediate for direct oxidation of methanol on pt electrode

The electro-oxidation of methanol on a Pt thin film electrode in acidic solution has been investigated by in situ surface-enhanced IR absorption spectroscopy. A new IR peak is observed at around 1320 cm-1 when the electrode potential is more positive than 0.5 V, where the bulk oxidation of MeOH occurs. This peak has been assigned to the symmetric stretching of formate species adsorbed on the Pt electrode surface. It is the first observation of formate adsorption during the electro-oxidation of methanol on a Pt surface. A near proportional relationship between the intensity of the IR band of the formate species and MeOH electro-oxidation current is observed. A new reaction scheme via non-CO pathway with formate as the active intermediate is proposed for the methanol electro-oxidation process.     

Nickel–poly(o-aminophenol)-modified carbon paste electrode; an electrocatalyst for methanol oxidation

In this work, a modified carbon paste electrode consisting of Nickel dispersed in poly(ortho-aminophenol) was used for electrocatalytic oxidation of methanol in alkaline solution. A carbon paste electrode bulk modified with o-aminophenol was used for polymer preparation by cyclic voltammetry method; then, Ni(II) ions were incorporated by immersion of the modified electrode in 1 M Ni(II) ion solution at open circuit. The electrochemical characterization of this modified electrode exhibits stable redox behavior of the Ni(III)–Ni(II) couple. Electrocatalytic oxidation of methanol on the surface of modified electrode was investigated with cyclic voltammetry and chronoamperometry methods, and the dependence of the oxidation current and shape of cyclic voltammograms on methanol concentration and scan rate were discussed. Also, long-term stability of modified electrode for electrocatalytic oxidation of methanol was investigated.     

Electrooxidation of carbon monoxide and methanol on platinum-overlayer-coated gold nanoparticles: effects of film thickness

The electrooxidation of carbon monoxide and methanol on Pt-coated Au nanoparticles attached to 3-aminopropyl trimethoxysilane-modified indium tin oxide electrodes was examined as a function of Pt film thickness and Au particle coverage. For the electrodes with medium and high Au particle coverages, the CO stripping peak position shifts to more negative values with increasing Pt film thickness, from ca. 0.8 V (vs Ag/AgCl) at 1 ML to 0.45 V at 10 ML. Accompanying this peak potential shift is the sharpening of the peak width from more than 150 to 65 mV. For the electrode with low Au particle coverage, similar peak width narrowing was also observed, but the peak potential shift is much smaller, from 0.85 V at 1 ML of Pt to 0.65 V at 10 ML. These observations are compared with the CO oxidation on bulk Pt electrodes and on Pt films deposited on bulk Au electrodes. The film-thickness-dependent CO oxidation is explained by d band theory in terms of strain and ligand effects, the particle size effect, and the particle aggregation induced by Pt film growth. Corresponding to the increasing CO oxidation activity, the current density of methanol oxidation grows with the Pt film thickness. The peak potential and current density reach the same values as those obtained on a polycrystalline bulk Pt electrode when more than 4 ML of Pt is deposited on the Au particle electrodes with a particle coverage higher than 0.25. These results suggest that it is feasible to reduce Pt loading in methanol fuel cells by using Pt thin films as the anode catalyst.     

Voltammetry of undiluted redox systems backed by in-situ Raman spectroscopy. Evidence for strong accumulation of ions in the diffusion layer at microelectrode surface

Voltammetry of undiluted redox liquids may result in the formation of thin layers of ionic liquids at the microelectrode surface. Such a situation was postulated for several liquids (solvents) including methanol, however, no direct evidence supporting this expectation was obtained. By using in-situ Raman spectroscopy in combination with voltammetric experiments, we have shown, that the concentration of the counterion, ClO₄⁻, is really much enhanced in the electrode vicinity compared to the methanol bulk.     

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.     

Effect of anions and pH on the adsorption and oxidation of methanol on a platinum electrode

The influence of various anions and pH on methanol oxidation as well as its products of chemisorption on platinum has been studied by voltammetric and radiometric methods. It was found that the rate of methanol oxidation from the bulk solution was lowest for Na₂CO₃ and highest for NaOH solutions. The influence of anions on the chemisorbed species of methanol on a platinum electrode has also been investigated.     

Influence of tin on the oxidation of methanol on a platinum electrode

The influence of adsorbed tin and tin(IV) ions on the oxidation of methanol chemisorbed species as well as the methanol from the bulk of the solution was studied on a Pt electrode by voltammetric and radiometric methods. It was found that tin is not adsorbed as an ad-atom but rather as a divalent ion. Enhancement of the electrocatalytic oxidation of chemisorbed species derived from methanol was observed only in the potential range from 0.4 to 0.8 V. The influence of some factors on the electrocatalytic properties of platinum is discussed.     

Photoelectrocatalytic disinfection of E. coli suspensions by iron doped TiO2

Photoelectrocatalytic disinfection of E. coli by an iron doped TiO(2) sol-gel electrode is shown to be more efficient than disinfection by the corresponding undoped electrode. Thus, the improvements in photocatalytic efficiency associated with selective doping have been combined with the electric field enhancement associated with the application of a small positive potential to a UV irradiated titanium dioxide electrode. The optimum disinfection rate corresponds to the replacement of approximately 0.1% of the Ti atoms by Fe. The enhanced disinfection associated with iron doping is surprising because iron doping decreases the photocurrent, and photocurrent is generally taken to be a good indicator of photoelectrocatalytic efficiency. As the level of iron is increased, the character of the current-voltage curve changes and the enhancement of photocurrent associated with methanol addition decreases. This suggests that iron reduces the surface recombination which in the absence of iron is reduced by methanol. Therefore the enhanced photocatalysis is interpreted as due to iron reducing surface recombination, by trapping electrons. It is proposed that at low iron levels the photo-generated electrons are trapped at surface Fe(III) centres and that consequently, because the electron-hole recombination rate is reduced, the number of holes available for hydroxyl radical formation is increased. It is also proposed that at higher iron levels, the disinfection rate falls because electron hole recombination at iron centres in the lattice reduces the number of holes which reach the surface. Our conclusion that the optimum electrode performance is a balance between surface and bulk effects is consistent with the proposal, of earlier authors for photocatalytic reactions, that the optimum dopant level depends on the TiO(2).     

Nickel modified ionic liquid/carbon paste electrode for highly efficient electrocatalytic oxidation of methanol in alkaline medium

In this study, the electrocatalytic oxidation of methanol at nickel modified ionic liquid/carbon paste electrode (Ni/IL/CPE) in alkaline medium is presented. The ionic liquid, 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide, is incorporated into the electrode as a binder. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy is employed to evaluate the electron transfer rate of this electrode. Ni(II) ions are incorporated into the electrode by immersion of this electrode in 1.0?M nickel sulfate solution. Cyclic voltammetry and chronoamperometry techniques are used for the electrochemical study of this modified electrode in the absence and the presence of methanol. The effect of methanol concentration on the anodic peak current shows an increase in the anodic peak current up to 1.25?M. Current density of Ni/IL/CPE for methanol oxidation in alkaline media is investigated by comparison with some of the previously reported electrodes. Results show that this electrode exhibits a high efficient electrocatalytic activity toward the oxidation of methanol with the current density of 17.6?mA?cm^?2. The rate constant for chemical reaction between methanol and redox sites of electrode is calculated. This new proposed electrode is simple and efficient enough, and it can be widely used as anode in direct methanol fuel cell.     

Electrooxidation of methanol on upd-Ru and upd-Sn modified Pt electrodes

The electrochemical oxidation of methanol has been investigated on underpotentially deposited-ruthenium-modified platinum electrode (upd-Ru/Pt) and on underpotentially deposited-tin-modified platinum electrode (upd-Sn/Pt). The submonolayers of upd-Ru and upd-Sn on a Pt electrode increased the rate of methanol electrooxidation several times as large as that on a pure Pt electrode. The best performance for methanol electrooxidation was obtained on a ternary platinum based catalyst modified by upd-Ru and upd-Sn simultaneously. The influence of the submonolayers of upd-Ru adatoms and upd-Sn adatoms on the oxidation of methanol in acid has been investigated. The effect of Ru on methanol electrooxidation lies on the distribution of Ru adatoms on a Pt surface. It has been shown that as long as the amount of upd-Ru deposits were controlled in a proper range, upd-Ru deposits would enhance the methanol oxidation obtained on a Pt electrode at whichever deposition potential the upd-Ru deposits were obtained. The effects of tin are sensible to the potential range. The enhancement effect of upd-Sn adatoms for the oxidation of methanol will disappear as the electrode potential is beyond a certain value. It is speculated that there exists a synergetic effect on the Pt electrode as adatoms Ru and Sn participate simultaneously in the methanol oxidation.     

One-step electrochemical synthesis of Pt–CeO2 composite thin films on a glassy carbon electrode

A Pt–CeO₂ composite thin film was prepared on a glassy carbon electrode by one-step electrochemical deposition technique. The film was constructed of Pt particles well dispersed and embedded in a porous CeO₂ substrate. The prepared Pt–CeO₂/GC electrode showed a better catalytic performance toward methanol electrooxidation compared with the bulk Pt electrode.     

Investigation of electro-oxidation of methanol and benzyl alcohol at boron-doped diamond electrode: evidence for the mechanism for fouling film formation

Boron-doped diamond (BDD) and glassy carbon (GC) electrodes are compared for electrochemical oxidation of methanol and benzyl alcohol. Cyclic voltammograms reveal that BDD electrode produces good oxidation signals for both methanol and benzyl alcohol, while GC produces no significant oxidation signal for either methanol or benzyl alcohol. Amperometric measurement of oxidation of methanol and benzyl alcohol on BDD shows development of a fouling film for benzyl alcohol but not for methanol. Prolonged (24 h) polarization of the BDD electrode at +2.0 V in benzyl alcohol generated enough fouling film for investigation by AFM, SEM, Raman, and FTIR techniques. AFM and SEM microscopy images confirm a fouling film confined to the low-lying regions of the polycrystallite BDD surface, indicating that the active sites of benzyl alcohol oxidation are located within these low-lying regions. The fouling material generated in the process of benzyl alcohol oxidation was identified from Raman and FTIR spectroscopy as polyester. Experiments confirm the fouling film can be removed and the electrode surface reactivated by brief polarization at +3.0 V. Amperometric results of concentration dependence confirm the BDD electrode is well suited for quantitative analysis applications of methanol and benzyl alcohol, with recognizable oxidation currents at micromolar concentration levels.     

Electrocatalytic oxidation of methanol at platinum electrode modified with Eu-Fe cyanide-bridged binuclear complexes

<正>The electrocatalytic oxidation of methanol at the platinum electrode modified with Eu-Fe cyanide-bridged binuclear complexes (Eu-Fe film) was investigated for the first time by cyclic voltammetry.Compared with the bare platinum electrode,the results showed that the modified electrode had excellent electrocatalytic activity for the oxidation of methanol;the oxidation peak potential shifted more negatively and the peak current increased about twenty times.The electrooxidation of methanol at the modified electrode with Eu-Fe cyanide-bridged binuclear complexes material exhibited the better tolerance capacity to poison of intermediate species;the peak current was proportional to the concentration of methanol in the range of 0.5-2.0mol/L (R~2 = 0.9991,n =7),which was a comparatively wider linear range.Moreover,based on the linear relationship between the peak current and the square root of scan rate,electrocatalytic oxidation process of methanol was confirmed to be a diffusion control process.Furthermore,according to the counting of electron transfer number(n_α) in the rate-limiting step and the slope of linear equation between acidity of electrolyte and the oxidation peak potential(E_p),the possible mechanism of the electrooxidation of methanol at the modified electrode was primarily discussed.     

Electrocatalytic Oxidation of Methanol on a Nickel‐Porphyrin IX Complex Modified Glassy Carbon Electrode in Alkaline Medium

Electrocatalytic oxidation of methanol on a glassy carbon disc electrode modified with Ni(II)‐hematoporphyrin IX, complex and conditioned by potential recycling in a limited range (between 100 and 600 mV vs. SCE) in 0.10 M NaOH solution, abbreviated as NiOHPME(A), was studied by cyclic voltammetry in alkaline medium. The results were compared with those obtained for a NiO modified glassy carbon electrode, NiOME, prepared in similar conditions. The findings show that the NiOHP film at NiOHPME(A) behaves as an efficient electrocatalyst for the oxidation of methanol in alkaline medium via Ni(III) species with the cross‐exchange reaction occurring throughout the layer at a low concentration of methanol and for a thin film of modifier. A plausible mechanism was proposed for catalytic oxidation of methanol at NiOHP modified electrode. Moreover, the effects of various parameters such as the scan rate, methanol concentration, thickness of NiOHP film and the real surface area of modified electrode on the oxidation of methanol were investigated. Finally, it has been shown that the NiOHPME(A) has a long‐term stability toward the oxidation of methanol.     

Cathodic corrosion as a facile and effective method to prepare clean metal alloy nanoparticles

The cathodic corrosion method described here is a simple, clean, and fast way of synthesizing nanoalloys with high catalytic performance. Using a series of Pt-Rh alloys as an example, we show that this one-step method can convert a bulk alloy electrode into an aqueous suspension of nanoparticles, retaining the composition and crystal lattice structure of the starting alloy. Compared to pure metals, these alloy nanocatalysts are more active toward CO and methanol oxidation and nitrate reduction reactions. Nanoparticles made of PtRu, PtIr, PtNi, AuCo, AuCu, and FeCo bulk alloys demonstrate the universality of this synthesis method.     

Electrocatalytic oxidation of methanol onto platinum particles decorated nanostructured poly (1,5-diaminonaphthalene) film

In this work, platinum particles decorated nanostructured poly (1,5-diaminonaphthalene) modified glassy carbon electrode (Pt/Nano-PDAN/MGCE) is prepared. The composite catalysts are characterized by scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive spectroscopy, and electrochemical methods. The electrochemical methanol oxidation reaction is studied at the surface of this modified electrode. At same Pt loading, the Pt/Nano-PDAN/MGCE can act as higher efficient catalyst for methanol oxidation than that Pt/MGCE. Then, the influence of some parameters such as potential scan rates, switching potential, and methanol concentration on its oxidation as well as long-term stability of the modified electrode have studied by electrochemical methods. Also, ability of the modified electrode toward electrocatalytic oxidation of formaldehyde as an intermediate in methanol oxidation has been investigated.     

酸性溶液中钯催化醇电化学氧化的研究

应用电化学循环伏安法(CV)和现场红外光谱(FTIR),研究了酸性溶液中钯催化甲醇、乙二醇电氧化的过程.结果表明:在酸性和中性介质中,甲醇和乙二醇在多晶Pd电极上氧化须在1.5V以上才能发生.随着溶液pH值的降低,过电位减小且峰电流密度上升.溶液的pH值以及电极表面形成的吸附含氧物种对Pd电催化氧化醇有显著的影响.现场红外光谱电化学测试显示,在高电位和强酸性介质中,乙二醇在Pd电极上的氧化产物主要是CO2和少量的乙二酸.在酸性和中性介质中,无论在低电位或高电位,甲醇和乙二醇在Pd上氧化的主要产物是CO2,没有发现CO的存在,说明该氧化过程CO2是经过非毒化的路径产生的.     

Au@Pt纳米粒子单层膜对甲醇氧化的电催化性能及SERS研究

通过种子生长法合成Au@Pt核壳结构纳米粒子,采用两相成膜法制备单层粒子膜,并转移获得Au@Pt核壳纳米粒子单层膜电极,该电极表面纳米粒子分布均匀,具有较大的比表面,对甲醇的氧化具有较好的电催化活性.研究表明,利用内核Au的长程电磁场增强效应,该单层膜表现出均匀且优良的表面增强拉曼散射(SERS)活性,适合作为基底在分子水平上研究表面的吸附和反应.获得了Au@Pt核壳纳米粒子单层膜表面甲醇电催化氧化过程的SERS光谱,为深入分析表面反应机理提供了实验依据.     

Electrocatalytic oxidation of methanol on Pt/NiZn electrode in alkaline medium

In this study, a platinum electrode was coated with NiZn layer (Pt/NiZn) in a nickel-zinc bath by electrodeposition for use as anode material for methanol electrooxidation in alkaline solution. The electrode prepared was etched in a concentrated alkaline solution (30% NaOH) to produce a porous and electrocatalytic surface suitable for use in the methanol electrooxidation (Pt/NiZn). The surface morphologies and compositions of coating before and after alkaline leaching were determined by energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) techniques. The effect of NiZn coated platinum electrode for methanol electrooxidation was investigated in 1 M NaOH solution by cyclic voltammetry (CV) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) techniques. Methanol electrooxidation on Pt/NiZn electrode was studied at various temperatures and potential scan rates. The results showed that Pt/NiZn electrode behaved as an efficient catalyst for the electrooxidation of methanol in alkaline medium.