Analysis of irreversible oxidation wave of adsorbed CO at Pt(1 1 1), Pt(1 0 0) and Pt(1 1 0) electrodes

The oxidation wave of CO preadsorbed at 50 mV on Pt(1 1 1), (1 0 0) and (1 1 0) electrodes in phosphate buffer solution of pH 3 was observed as a function of the sweep rate. The sweep rate dependence of the peak current and peak potential, as well as the form of the wave, were examined on the basis of the Gilman mechanism that the electron transfer from a complex consisting of CO and oxygen containing species is the rate-determining step. An electron transfer step from CO itself was excluded. The peak current and peak potential analyses and the wave simulation gave the same value for f, the change in the interaction energy during the formation of the activated complex from the reactants. f was sweep-rate and surface-structure dependent. The nature of f was discussed.Nomenclature symmetry factor - reversible work required to bring an adsorbed species from its standard state - µ electrochemical potential - electrode potential referred to the reversible hydrogen electrode - _p peak potential - _1/2 width at half height of the oxidation wave - (a) adsorbed state - f() mutual interaction energy of the activated complex inRT units - f(R) mutual interaction energy of the reactants in RT units - f f() –f(R) - i oxidation current density, mA cm^–2 - i _p peak current, mA CM^–2 - k rate constant - Q ₀ electric charge, mCcm^–2 - v sweep rate, m Vs^–1 This paper is dedicated to Professor Brian E. Conway on the occasion of his 65th birthday, and in recognition of his outstanding contribuion to electrochemistry.