Keywords

Catalysts, Cerium oxides, Chemical kinetics, Electrolytic oxidation, Ethanol, Methanol

Abstract

A comparative study of the electro-oxidation of ethanol and methanol was carried out on a Pt/ceria composite electrode prepared by electro-deposition. Modification of the Pt electrode was realized by co-deposition from a 1.0 mM K₂PtCl₆ solution that also contained a 20 mM suspension of ceria. The electro-catalytic activities and stabilities of the Pt/ceria catalyst towards ethanol electro-oxidation reactions (EOR) and methanol electro-oxidation reactions (MOR) were investigated by potentiodynamic and potentiostatic methods in 0.5 M sulfuric acid and 1.0 M sodium hydroxide solutions at various concentrations of ethanol and methanol. The kinetics of ethanol and methanol on a Pt/ceria composite electrode were measured in 0.5 M sulfuric acid and 1.0 M sodium hydroxide solutions using a rotating disk electrode (RDE). Cyclic voltammetry was employed in temperatures ranging from 15 to 55°C to provide quantitative and qualitative information on the kinetics of alcohol oxidation. The temperature dependence of the electro-catalytic activities afforded the determination of apparent activation energies for ethanol and methanol oxidation.

Notes

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Graduation Date

2011

Semester

Spring

Advisor

Diaz, Diego J.

Degree

Master of Science (M.S.)

College

College of Sciences

Department

Chemistry

Format

application/pdf

Identifier

CFE0003628

URL

http://purl.fcla.edu/fcla/etd/CFE0003628

Language

English

Release Date

May 2011

Length of Campus-only Access

None

Access Status

Masters Thesis (Open Access)

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Included in

Chemistry Commons

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