Effects of the Alkane on the Oxygen Reduction Reaction on Well-Defined Pt Surfaces

Abstract

Previous study shows that tetra-n-hexylammonium cation (THA+), which is composed of one nitrogen atom and four alkyl chains, increases the activity of the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) on Pt(111) eight times as high as that of bare Pt(111). We have studied the ORR on Pt single crystal electrodes modified with alkane to elucidate which part of THA+ contributes to the enhancement of the activity for the ORR. The ORR activity is increased only twice by the modification of Pt(111) with dodecane and hexadecane. Combination of a nitrogen atom and alkyl chains of THA+ plays an important role in enhancing the ORR on Pt electrodes. Dodecane and hexadecane increases the ORR activity on Pt(111) and Pt(110), but they deactivate the ORR on Pt(100) and the high index planes.

Keywords

• high index planes
• pt single-crystal electrodes
• alkane
• enhancement of the oxygen reduction reaction