The interaction of formic acid with Pt(111) and the effect of coadsorbed water, atomic oxygen, and carbon monoxide

Technical Report · Fri Dec 20 04:00:00 EST 1991

OSTI ID:6070602

Columbia, M R

We have investigated the reaction of HCOOH with the (111) surface of platinum and its dependence on surface temperature, surface concentration (coverage), and the presence of other adspecies such as H{sub 2}O, CO, and atomic oxygen. The motivation for this investigation originates in the electrochemical community, where an interest in the development of fuel cells has existed for years. Small oxygen-containing hydrocarbons like HCOOH show potential as fuels in cells utilizing platinum as the electrode material. The desired reaction in such a cell is the decomposition of the formic acid to produce CO{sub 2}, which desorbs from the electrode surface; however, a competing reaction produces adspecies which do not desorb. The accumulation of these adspecies prevents continued adsorption and reaction of formic acid and eventually renders the cell useless. We have probed the reaction of formic acid with Pt(111) in ultrahigh vacuum via thermal desorption spectroscopy and high resolution electron energy loss spectroscopy.

• Research Organization: Ames Lab., IA (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: DOE; USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-82
• OSTI ID: 6070602
• Report Number(s): IS-T-1540; ON: DE92005094
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

30 DIRECT ENERGY CONVERSION
300505 -- Fuel Cells-- Electrochemistry
Mass Transfer & Thermodynamics
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
360104 -- Metals & Alloys-- Physical Properties
37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
400201* -- Chemical & Physicochemical Properties
ADSORPTION
CARBON COMPOUNDS
CARBON MONOXIDE
CARBON OXIDES
CARBOXYLIC ACIDS
CHALCOGENIDES
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CHEMISTRY
DIRECT ENERGY CONVERTERS
ELECTROCHEMICAL CELLS
ELECTROCHEMISTRY
ELECTRON SPECTROSCOPY
ELEMENTS
ENERGY-LOSS SPECTROSCOPY
FORMIC ACID
FUEL CELLS
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
LOW TEMPERATURE
METALS
MONOCARBOXYLIC ACIDS
NONMETALS
ORGANIC ACIDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OXIDES
OXYGEN
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PLATINUM
PLATINUM METALS
SORPTION
SPECTROSCOPY
SURFACE PROPERTIES
TRANSITION ELEMENTS
ULTRAHIGH VACUUM
WATER