Investigation of the electrochemical behaviour of thermally prepared Pt-IrO2 electrodes

Abstract

Different IrO₂ electrodes in which the molar percentage of platinum (Pt) varies from 0 %mol Pt to 100 %mol Pt were prepared on titanium (Ti) substrate by thermal decomposition techniques. The electrodes were characterized physically (SEM, XPS) and electrochemically and then applied to methanol oxidation. The SEM micrographs indicated that the electrodes present different morphologies depending on the amount of platinum in the deposit and the cracks observed on the 0 %mol Pt electrode diminish in size tending to a compact and rough surface for 70 %mol Pt electrode. XPS results indicate good quality of the coating layer deposited on the titanium substrate. The voltammetric investigations in the supporting electrolyte indicate that the electrodes with low amount of platinum (less than 10 %mol Pt) behave as pure IrO₂. But in the case of electrodes containing more than 40 %mol Pt, the voltammograms are like that of platinum. Electrocatalytic activity towards methanol oxidation was observed with the electrodes containing high amount of platinum. Its oxidation begins at a potential of about 210 mV lower on such electrodes than the pure platinum electrode (100 %mol Pt). But for electrode containing low quantity of Pt, the surface of the coating is essentially composed of IrO₂ and methanol oxidation occurs in the domain of water decomposition solely. The increase of the electrocatalytic behaviour of the electrodes containing high amount of Pt towards methanol oxidation is due to the bifunctional behaviour of the electrodes.

KEY WORDS: Iridium dioxide, Platinum, Methanol oxidation, Electrocatalytic activity

Bull. Chem. Soc. Ethiop. 2008, 22(1), 125-134.