Electrocatalytic reduction of organic molecules emerges as one of the critical steps in producing energy carriers in a sustainable future. Understanding the role of electrochemical potentials for sorption and ordering on metal particles is critical to interpret the behavior of metals in aqueous solution and to design catalysts for electrocatalytic reactions. Determined by pH and external H<sub>2</sub> pressure the open circuit potential of carbon supported Rh, Pt, and Pd has been found to vary inversely with hydrogenation rates of molecules like phenol. More negative external potentials have been found on the other hand to correlate with higher rates of hydrogen evolution and higher hydrogenation rates. The lecture discusses these apparently contradicting observations and the role of the organization of reactants electrolytes and water or hydronium ions at the surface of electrocatalysts as function of the overpotential, the hydronium ion concentration, and partial pressure of hydrogen during the hydrogenation of phenol as example.

Role of open circuit and external potentials to control electrocatalytic reductions

2019 Fall National Meeting

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