Mechanistic aspects of glycerol electrooxidation on Pt(111) electrode in alkaline media

Glycerol electrooxidation reaction (GEOR) in alkaline media was studied on the Pt(111) electrode with in situ FTIR and electrochemical methods. Cyclic voltammogram profiles display strong electrode deactivation after the first potential scan. Chronoamperometric pulses demonstrate that the deactivation is a result of the reaction intermediates yielded during the faradaic process. In situ FTIR shows evidence that the strongly adsorbed intermediate formed during GEOR is an acyl species which remains present on the surface within the potential window studied.