Effects of surfactants on the electroreduction of dioxygen at an acetylene black electrode.

An acetylene black electrode modified by an adsorbed cationic surfactant, cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB), was developed. The influences of various types of surfactants on the electroreduction of O2 were investigated. It was demonstrated that a cationic surfactant, CTAB, on the surface of the electrode could significantly decrease the overpotential of dioxygen reduction, and the reduction peak current of O2 was also remarkably increased. The reduction of O2 at a CTAB modified acetylene black electrode was studied using cyclic voltammetry, chronocoulometry and controlled potential coulometry. The total number of electrons, the exchange current density (j(o)) and the transfer coefficient (alpha) for reduction of O2 at the surface of this modified electrode were determined.