Electrooxidation of Ethanol on PtRh and PtRu Surfaces Studied in 0.5 M H2SO4: Relation to the Behaviour at Polycrystalline Pt

The present study reports cyclic voltammetric and a.c. impedance spectroscopy investigations of electrooxidation process of ethanol on PtRh and PtRu catalyst surfaces, performed in 0.5 M H2SO4 supporting electrolyte. The kinetics of ethanol oxidation were examined in relation to those recently reported for polycrystalline Pt in the same test solution. Special consideration was given to the process of underpotential deposition (UPD) of H, as well as to temperature dependence of ethanol electrooxidation reaction on these two Pt-derived surfaces, studied over the temperature range 22-60 degrees C.