A study of the electrocatalytic oxidation of methanol on a nickel–salophen-modified glassy carbon electrode

Abstract

Nickel–salophen-modified glassy carbon electrodes prepared by transferring one drop of Ni–salophen complex solution on the electrode surface. This modified electrode has been used for the electrocatalytic oxidation of methanol in alkaline solutions with various methods such as cyclic voltammetry, chronoamperometry, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The electrooxidation was observed as large anodic peaks, and early stages of the cathodic direction of potential sweep around 20 mV vs. Ag|AgCl|KClsat. A mechanism based on the electrochemical generation of Ni (Ш) active sites and their subsequent consumptions by methanol have been discussed. EIS studies were employed to unveil the charge transfer rate as well as the electrical characteristics of the catalytic surface. For the electrochemical oxidation of methanol at 5.0 M concentration, charge transfer resistance of nearly 0.936 kΩ was obtained, while the resistance of the electrocatalyst layer was about 111.6 Ω.