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Adsorbed Intermediates in Oxygen Reduction on Platinum Nanoparticles Observed by In Situ IR Spectroscopy
Author(s) -
Nayak Simantini,
McPherson Ian J.,
Vincent Kylie A.
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
angewandte chemie international edition
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 5.831
H-Index - 550
eISSN - 1521-3773
pISSN - 1433-7851
DOI - 10.1002/anie.201804978
Subject(s) - catalysis , oxygen , chemistry , photochemistry , infrared spectroscopy , platinum , in situ , inorganic chemistry , adsorption , nanoparticle , materials science , nanotechnology , organic chemistry
The sluggish kinetics of oxygen reduction to water remains a significant limitation in the viability of proton‐exchange‐membrane fuel cells, yet details of the four‐electron oxygen reduction reaction remain elusive. Herein, we apply in situ infrared spectroscopy to probe the surface chemistry of a commercial carbon‐supported Pt nanoparticle catalyst during oxygen reduction. The IR spectra show potential‐dependent appearance of adsorbed superoxide and hydroperoxide intermediates on Pt. This strongly supports an associative pathway for oxygen reduction. Analysis of the adsorbates alongside the catalytic current suggests that another pathway must also be in operation, consistent with a parallel dissociative pathway.