TY - JOUR
T1 - Effects of electrolyte pH and composition on the ethanol electro-oxidation reaction
AU - Lai, Stanley C S
AU - Kleijn, Steven E F
AU - Öztürk, Fatma T Z
AU - Van Rees Vellinga, Vivienne C.
AU - Koning, Jesper
AU - Rodriguez, Paramaconi
AU - Koper, Marc T M
AU - Rodriguez, Paramaconi
PY - 2010/9/1
Y1 - 2010/9/1
N2 - The electrochemical oxidation of ethanol has been studied on platinum and gold electrodes by a combination of electrochemical and spectroscopic techniques in electrolytes of varying pH and composition, the latter primarily determined by the buffering anions. It was found that the activity of reaction increases significantly when the pH of the electrolyte is higher than 10. Furthermore, the results indicate that the selectivity of the reaction depends strongly on the nature of the electrolyte, and, to a smaller extent, on the electrolyte pH. In particular, carbon-carbon bond breaking, which is necessary to achieve full oxidation, could only be observed on platinum in the absence of strongly adsorbing anions. Based on these findings, a tentative general mechanism is suggested and discussed.
AB - The electrochemical oxidation of ethanol has been studied on platinum and gold electrodes by a combination of electrochemical and spectroscopic techniques in electrolytes of varying pH and composition, the latter primarily determined by the buffering anions. It was found that the activity of reaction increases significantly when the pH of the electrolyte is higher than 10. Furthermore, the results indicate that the selectivity of the reaction depends strongly on the nature of the electrolyte, and, to a smaller extent, on the electrolyte pH. In particular, carbon-carbon bond breaking, which is necessary to achieve full oxidation, could only be observed on platinum in the absence of strongly adsorbing anions. Based on these findings, a tentative general mechanism is suggested and discussed.
KW - Anion adsorption
KW - Electrocatalysis
KW - Ethanol oxidation
KW - Infrared spectroscopy
KW - pH dependence
KW - Surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=77954917976&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.cattod.2010.01.060
DO - 10.1016/j.cattod.2010.01.060
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:77954917976
SN - 0920-5861
VL - 154
SP - 92
EP - 104
JO - Catalysis Today
JF - Catalysis Today
IS - 1-2
ER -