An EC-FTIR study on the catalytic role of Pt in carbon corrosion

In this study, we investigate the role of Pt in the corrosion of carbon by Fourier-transformed infrared spectroscopy coupled in situ with electrochemical measurements. We confirm that the carbon corrosion rate is strongly enhanced in the presence of Pt and shed light on the reaction mechanisms at both anode and cathode potentials. It is shown that carbon surface oxide species (phenol, ether, carboxylic and carbonyl groups), formed at low electrode potential E < 0.60 V vs. RHE, spillover back from the carbon support to the Pt nanoparticles, where they are converted into CO and then slowly oxidized into CO₂. At higher electrode potential E > 0.60 V vs. RHE, oxygenated species resulting from water splitting on Pt facilitate the removal of these carbon surface oxides species yielding increased kinetics for carbon corrosion.