In-situ IR study of adsorption and oxidation of methanol on platinum and platinised glassy carbon electrodes in sulphuric acid solution

The nature of the adsorbates formed during the oxidation of methanol at platinum and platinum/glassy carbon electrodes in acid solution is studied in-situ using Subtractively Normalised Fourier Transform Infra-Red Spectroscopy (SNIFTIRS). The intermediate in the methanol oxidation is identified at Pt3,COH, and it is shown that the COads poison that forms on bulk platinum does not form on small platinum particles adsorbed on carbon, supporting the contention that these particles poison by a different mechanism. The importance of cell design is discussed.