Platinization of Ti for the fabrication of a Sn-modified Pt/Ti electrode for reduction of nitrate

Abstract

This work investigated the fabrication characteristics of platinized-Ti for use in the preparation of a Sn-modified platinized-Ti electrode to reduce nitrate. A Pt electro-plating method to form special open clearances within a Pt coating layer on an etched Ti substrate was important to effectively remove the residual contaminate due to the plating solution at the fabricated electrode surface and to maximize the electrode’s actual surface area. The electro-cleaning caused a morphologic change of the platinized-Ti electrode surface through a place-exchange process of Pt atoms, with many of the downy hair-like polyps formed on the surface disappearing, resulting in a decrease in the electrode area. The platinized-Ti electrode itself had some electro-activity to the reduction of nitrate even though its surface was not Sn-modified. The Sn-modified platinized-Ti electrode significantly increased electro-activity to the reduction of nitrate compared with the Pt metal electrode.