Catalysis of dioxygen reduction at soluble polyaniline modified electrode

A reflux-treatment of soluble polyaniline (SPA) in dimethylformamide (DMF) containing CoCl₂ yields an active catalyst for dioxygen reduction which can be adsorbed on the electrode surface firmly. The catalytic reduction of dioxygen at the glassy carbon (GC) electrode modified by the catalyst was studied with cyclic voltammetry (CV), rotating disk electrode (RDE) and rotating ring-disk electrode (RRDE). The kinetic process of dioxygen reduction at the modified electrode was analyzed with a new RRDE theory dealing with a nondiffusion-controlled process on ring electrode. The rate constants for each scheme of dioxygen reduction were calculated, showing that only 2-electron reduction to H₂O₂ was conducted at the modified electrode. The effect of solution acidity on the electrocatalytic behaviour for dioxygen reduction was investigated. A possibility of initiating catalytic activity for dioxygen reduction was explored with ESCA method.