Electrocatalytic and adsorption properties of platinum microparticles electrodeposited onto glassy carbon and into Nafion® films

A comparative investigation of electrocatalytic and adsorption properties of platinum microparticles electrodeposited onto a glassy carbon surface (Pt/GC) and within a thin Nafion® film formed on a GC electrode (Pt/Nf/GC) is described. As test reaction the methanol oxidation in sulfuric acid solutions is used. Dependences of the steady-state specific reaction rates upon potential and methanol concentration were established, as well as those of the platinum surface coverage with methanol chemisorption products upon concentration. It was shown that at higher platinum loadings (above 60 μg cm⁻²) the specific activities of Pt/GC and Pt/Nf/GC are nearly the same and close to that of smooth platinum. At such loadings the surface coverage of the platinum deposit surface with organic particles does not differ from that of smooth platinum. At very low platinum loadings in the polymeric matrix (10–30 μg cm⁻²) a considerable decrease in the adsorption of strongly chemisorbed methanol particles is observed. These deposits are characterized by a low specific activity, which may be caused by the decrease of the platinum particle’s size, leading to a decrease in the amount of weakly bound methanol particles participating in the limiting reaction step.