A straightforward implementation of in situ solution electrochemical 13C NMR spectroscopy for studying reactions on commercial electrocatalysts: ethanol oxidation

Chemical Communications Pub Date: 2015-04-02 DOI: 10.1039/C5CC00862J

Abstract

Identifying and quantifying electrocatalytic-reaction-generated solution species, be they reaction intermediates or products, are highly desirable in terms of understanding the associated reaction mechanisms. We report herein a straightforward implementation of in situ solution electrochemical 13C NMR spectroscopy for the first time that enables in situ studies of reactions on commercial fuel-cell electrocatalysts (Pt and PtRu blacks). Using ethanol oxidation reaction (EOR) as a working example, we discovered that (1) the complete oxidation of ethanol to CO2 only took place dominantly at the very beginning of a potentiostatic chronoamperometric (CA) measurement and (2) the PtRu had a much higher activity in catalysing oxygen insertion reaction that leads to acetic acid.

Graphical abstract: A straightforward implementation of in situ solution electrochemical 13C NMR spectroscopy for studying reactions on commercial electrocatalysts: ethanol oxidation
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