Alcohol Oxidation at Platinum-Based Electrocatalysts

In order to improve the fuel utilization in a Direct Alcohol Fuel Cell (DAFC) it is important to investigate the reaction mechanism and to develop active electrocatalysts able to activate each reaction path. The elncidation of the reaction mechanism, thus, needs to combine pnre electrochemical methods (cyclic voltammetry, rotating disc electrodes, etc.) with other physicochemical methods, such as in situ spectroscopic methods (infrared and UV-VIS reflectance spectroscopy, or mass spectroscopy such as EQCM, DEMS ), or radiochemical methods to monitor the adsorbed intermediates and on line chromatographic techniques to analyze qnantitatively the reaction products and by-products. 

In the following we will illnstrate, with the help of several examples deahng with the electro-oxidation of alcohols, how the use of coupled experimental techniqnes will be able to elncidate most of the reaction pathways. 

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