Identification of the Adsorbate Formed on a Platinum Electrode from Methanol

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Abstract
The kind of carbon-containing adsorbate formed on a platinum electrode from methanol in an acid medium was identified by an electrochemical method. Certain improvements were made in view of the harmful effects of the following factors on the QF value, the quantity of electricity required to form adsorbate. The factors: a) The amounts of dissolved oxygen in both solution and electrode itself; b) the concurrent oxidation of the adsorbate in the adsorption process; and c) the presence of by-products of the methanol oxidation, formaldehyde and formic acid. By appropriate procedures, these effects could be minimized or corrected. The ratio QF⁄Qox, where Qox was an electric quantity required to oxidize completely that amount of adsorbate corresponding to the QF, was found to be 1.8–2.0 when the potential was 0.30–0.54 V, and the methanol concentration 0.005–1 mol dm−3. It was thus concluded that the adsorbate was almost exclusively COad.

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