Nitrate reduction on Pt(111) surfaces modified by Bi adatoms

This work presents the effect of Bi modification of Pt(1 1 1) electrodes on the electroreduction of nitrate anions by using voltammetric and FTIR experiments. On Pt(1 1 1) nitrate consumption occurs at potentials lower than 0.35 V, but with Pt(1 1 1)/Bi this process is shifted to significantly higher potentials (0.6-0.7 V). In the latter surface N2O was observed as the main product in solution. Different forms of adsorbed NO were detected on the adatom covered surfaces as well as on clean Pt(1 1 1). (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.