Electrocatalytic Reduction of Oxygen on Carbon Nanotubes Electrode

Abstract

The multi-walled car bon nanotube(MWNT) electrode was constructed using poly-tertrafluoroethylene a s binder. The electrochemical behavior of the MWNT electrode in alkaline solutio n was investigated by chronoamperometry and cyclic voltammetric method, and the electrochemical reduction of dissolved oxygen in alkaline solution was examined on this electrode. Experimental results showed that MWNT electrode had higher po rosity and electrochemical surface area than graphite electrode. The reduction o f O2 to on MWNT electrode was a quasi-reversible process, and cathodic peak c urrents depended linearly on the scan rate over the range of 5～ 100 mV· s-1, which suggested that the process of the electrode reaction was controlled by th e adsorption. The significant differences in voltammetry between the MWNT electr ode and the graphite electrode for dissolved oxygen in alkaline solution indicat ed that MWNT had higher electrocatalytic activity than graphite powders.