Cyclic voltammetric study on the catalysis of electrodeposited manganese oxide on the electrochemical oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) in room temperature ionic liquids (RTILs) of 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate (EMIBF4) on glassy carbon clectrode

Abstract

For the first time, the electrochemical oxygen reduction reaction (ORR), was investigated using cyclic voltammetry (CV) on the electrodeposited manganese oxide (MnOx)-modified glassy carbon (MnOx-GC) electrode in the room temperature ionic liquids (RTILs) of EMIBF4, i.e. 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate (EMIBF4). The results demonstrated that, after being modified by MnOx on a GC electrode, the reduction peak current of oxygen was increased to some extent, while the oxidation peak current, corresponding to the oxidation of superoxide anion, i.e., O2− was attenuated in some degree, suggesting that MnOx could catalyze ORR in RTILs of EMIBF4, which is consistent with the results obtained in aqueous solution. To accelerate the electron transfer rate, multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) was modified the GC electrode, and then MnOx was electrodeposited onto the MWCNTs-modified GC electrode to give rise to a MnOx/MWCNTs-modified GC electrode, consequently, the improved standard rate constant, ks, originated from the modified MWCNTs, along with the modification of electrodeposited MnOx, showed us a satisfactory electrocatalysis for ORR in RTILs of EMIBF4.