The Surface Active Site Model for Formic Acid Electrooxidation at Palladium in Aqueous Acid Solution

摘要

Electrocatalysis at palladium surfaces in acid solution is of significant interest with regard to fuel celldevelopment, especially in the case of direct formic acid fuel cell (DFAFC) systems. The present workunderlines the importance of protruding atom-type active sites at the metal surface and that these sitesundergo an interfacial, quasi-reversible, redox transition in aqueous acid solution at ca. 0.24 V (RHE).The interfacial mediator mode of electrocatalysis, which was discussed recently for gold and copper, isextended here to palladium in acid where the anodic behaviour of formic acid is of considerableinterest.