| Abstract: | Metals and alloys bonded on the solid polymer electrolyte (SPE) Nafion® 117 were studied as both the electrodes and electrolyte for the electrochemical reduction of pure benzaldehyde without liquid supporting electrolyte. The results indicated that SPE electrodes modified with metals such as Pt, Ni, Pb, Cu and Ag by the ion exchange chemical deposition method had a more stable structure and could provide a larger electrochemical active surface area than those prepared by other methods. The composition of reducing agents and the pH value have a significant effect on the characteristics of the prepared SPE electrodes. In this study a novel method was developed to prepare a Pt+Pb/Nafion® electrode which formed a protective Pt layer on the surface of Pb/Nafion®. The results of scanning electron microscopy further confirmed that Pt+Pb/Nafion® electrodes had obvious advantages for the electrochemical reduction of benzaldehyde. The results also revealed that the current efficiencies of benzylalcohol production at various SPE electrodes decreased in the order Pt+Pb/Nafion® > Pb/ Nafion® > Ni/Nafion® > Cu/Nafion® > Ag+Cu/Nafion® > Ag/Nafion® > Pt/Nafion®. |
