Electrocatalytic oxidation of carbon monoxide and methanol at Pt nanoparticles confined in SBA-15: voltammetric and in situ infrared spectroscopic studies

Electrocatalytic oxidation of carbon monoxide and methanol at Pt nanoparticles confined in mesoporous molecular sieve SBA-15 was studied by using cyclic voltammetry and in situ FTIR spectroscopy. Cyclic voltammetric studies revealed that the Pt nanoparticles confined in SBA-15 exhibit a high activity in the presence of hydrated phase consisting of SiO₂ in the SBA-15. In situ FTIR spectroscopy results discovered that IR absorption of CO adsorbed on Pt nanoparticles confined in SBA-15 has been enhanced 11-fold, and the full-width at half-maximum of the CO band is significantly increased, in comparison with IR feature of CO adsorbed on a bulk Pt electrode. The linearly adsorbed CO species is the only intermediate derived from dissociative adsorption of methanol, which is more readily oxidized to form CO₂ in the aid of the active oxide in SBA-15.This paper is dedicated to Professor G. Horanyi on the occasion of his 70th birthday and in recognition of his outstanding contribution to electrochemistry