Formic acid electrooxidation on palladium nanostructured electrodes in concentrated solutions

Abstract

The formic acid oxidation reaction (FAO) was evaluated on palladium nanostructured films supported on glassy carbon in 0.5 M H2SO4 + x M HCOOH solutions, where 0.5 ≤ x ≤ 8.0, in the potential range 0.2 ≤ Es / V ≤ 0.6 vs. RHE at 25ºC. Measurements consisted in chronoamperometric experiments, which were followed by stripping voltammetry in order to evaluate the presence of COad. Open circuit potential (OCP) decay was also employed to analyse the formic acid spontaneous decomposition. The results of OCP experiments showed the formation of β-PdH hydride as well as the absence of COad for all HCOOH concentrations, evidencing that the spontaneous decomposition of HCOOH on palladium is the dehydrogenation reaction, which produces H2 and CO2. It was demonstrated that COad is not directly involved in the kinetic mechanism of the FAO on palladium and it was also explained the controversy related to the detection of COad in previous studies. Additionally, the highest FAO electrocatalytic activity was observed at x = 2.0 M.