Open AccessSurface Modification of Boron‐Doped Diamond with Microcrystalline Copper Phthalocyanine: Oxygen Reduction Catalysis
Author(s) -
Gan Patrick,
Foord John S.,
Compton Richard G.
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
chemistryopen
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.644
H-Index - 29
ISSN - 2191-1363
DOI - 10.1002/open.201500075
Subject(s) - overpotential , inorganic chemistry , diamond , microcrystalline , hydrogen peroxide , copper , catalysis , chemistry , surface modification , hydrogen , electrochemistry , electrocatalyst , oxygen , materials science , photochemistry , electrode , organic chemistry , crystallography
Surface modification of boron‐doped diamond (BDD) with copper phthalocyanine was achieved using a simple and convenient dropcast deposition, giving rise to a microcrystalline structure. Both unmodified and modified BDD electrodes of different surface terminations (namely hydrogen and oxygen) were compared via the electrochemical reduction of oxygen in aqueous solution. A significant lowering of the cathodic overpotential by about 500 mV was observed after modification of hydrogen‐terminated (hydrophobic) diamond, while no voltammetric peak was seen on modified oxidised (hydrophilic) diamond, signifying greater interaction between copper phthalocyanine and the hydrogen‐terminated BDD. Oxygen reduction was found to undergo a two‐electron process on the modified hydrogen‐terminated diamond, which was shown to be also active for the reduction of hydrogen peroxide. The lack of a further conversion of the peroxide was attributed to its rapid diffusion away from the triple phase boundary at which the reaction is expected to exclusively occur.