Thin films of Pd and Pd–1% MWCNT as new electrocatalysts for oxidation of phenol in acid medium

Abstract

Thin films of pure Pd and composite of Pd and 1% multiwalled carbon nanotube have been obtained on glassy carbon electrodes by borohydride reduction method and investigated as electrocatalysts for the oxidation of phenol in acid medium at 25 °C, using cyclic voltammetry (CV), chronopotentiometry, and high-performance liquid chromatography. The CV study showed that both the electrocatalysts are quite stable and active for the phenol oxidation in acid medium. Further, these electrodes do not seem to undergo deactivation due to intermediates and products formed during the phenol oxidation. With the increase in phenol concentration from 2 to 25 mM, the peak current (I p) increases initially, reaches maximum at about 15 mM, and tends to decrease thereafter. The peak potential (E p) value was found to be practically unchanged with phenol concentration. The rate for phenol oxidation (I p) at the surface of both the electrocatalysts increased with the decrease in pH of the reaction mixture. The electrocatalytic activity of the composite electrode was, however, higher than that of pure Pd under similar experimental conditions. Benzoquinone and hydroquinone were identified as the major phenol degradation intermediate products.