Abstract
The oxidation of reticulated vitreous carbon (RVC) and its impact on the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) in H 2SO 4 solutions has been studied. The results are compared with that of a planar glassy carbon (GC) electrode. The oxidation process was characterized by using different electrode configurations, GC (planar) and RVC electrodes both with flooded (batch process) and flow-through assembly. Cyclic voltammetry, potentiodynamic and rotating ring-disk electrode voltammetry were used for the characterization of the ORR. Anodically oxidized GC and flooded RVC are similar in that the ORR on both electrodes gave a more defined limiting current plateau. For the flow-through porous electrode, the oxidation process caused a distribution of the oxidation extent within the bed thickness, as evident from the SEM images, and only about half of the porous electrode was utilized in the oxidation process. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) measurements confirmed the above distribution and a gradient of the oxygen-to-carbon ratio was obtained within the porous bed. Oxidation of RVC led to an enhancement of its electrocatalytic properties towards ORR. H 2O 2 production was tested at the oxidized RVC from flowing acid solutions. The oxidation of RVC resulted in higher current efficiencies and higher outlet concentrations of the H 2O 2 acid solutions.
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