Mean Field Approximation of Langmuir-Hinshelwood CO-Surface Reactions Considering Lateral Interactions

The mean field approximation to model the CO electrocatalytic oxidation on metal surfaces, including attractive and repulsive effective lateral interactions between the species, is employed. Adsorbed CO reacts with adsorbed OH from water dissociation through a Langmuir-Hinshelwood mechanism. Simulated results suggest alternative explanations to experimental observations during CO stripping oxidation on different electrodes by potential step chronoamperometry or voltammetry. Even though the model ignores higher order interactions, such as three-body or long-ranged interactions, the results extend the conceptual framework for transient kinetics and stripping voltammograms for CO oxidation on metallic surfaces or any other electrochemical Langmuir-Hinshelwood reaction. In spite of the high level of simplicity, the model is a promising tool for the understanding of the electrocatalytic activity and results were qualitatively compared with experimental results.