The effect of ammonium ions on oxygen reduction and hydrogen peroxide formation on polycrystalline Pt electrodes

The influence of ammonium ions on the activity and selectivity of the electrocatalytic oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) on polycrystalline Pt was investigated in model studies under continuous mass transport, both in sulfuric and perchloric acid solutions. Ammonium was found to increase the yield of hydrogen peroxide, particularly in sulfuric acid, but also in perchloric acid solutions, and also at higher potentials (0.80–0.90 V_RHE) typical for fuel cell cathode operation, which may severely impair the long-term stability of membranes and electrodes in fuel cells exposed to fuel gases and/or air containing ammonia. Adsorbed species, assigned to ammonia and nitric oxide, were identified on a Pt film electrode using in situ FTIR spectroscopy. Adsorbed nitric oxide could only be observed in perchloric acid solutions. The higher coverage of adsorbed ammonia in sulfuric acid solution is attributed to a stabilization by coadsorbed (bi-)sulfate species; the higher total coverage in this electrolyte can explain the larger effect of ammonium ions on the ORR activity and selectivity in sulfuric compared to perchloric acid solution.