| Abstract: | The role of the oxidation state of a platinum polycrystalline surface in the electrocatalytic oxidation of C1 to C4 primary alcohols has been studied by using electrochemical techniques, in situ FTIR spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The results revealed that the oxidation state of the Pt surface plays a key role in the oxidation of primary alcohols, and demonstrated that the oxidation of C1 to C4 primary alcohols on a Pt electrode is controlled by the formation of surface oxides on the Pt electrode at different potentials. It was found that the dependence of the reaction process on the oxidation states of the platinum surface yielded similar features in the cyclic voltammogram for oxidation of different primary alcohols at a Pt electrode. According to the effects in the oxidation of primary alcohols, the surface oxides of platinum may be classified as active and poison species. The Pt surface oxides of higher oxidation states (Pt(OH)3 and PtO2) formed at potentials above 1.0 V (SCE) were identified as poison species, while other lower oxidation states of Pt surface oxides such as PtOH, Pt(OH)2 and PtO may be identified as the possible active species for primary alcohol oxidation. |
