Surface-orientated platinum nanoparticles electrodeposited on a carbon substrate as a high performance electrocatalyst for glucose oxidation reaction in alkaline media

Abstract The glucose oxidation reaction (GOR) is strictly controlled by the surface structure of an electrode. Here, we report the effect of potentiostatic deposition (PSD), potentiocyclic deposition (PCD), and a combination of these two modes (PSD/PCD) for platinum deposition on a carbon-based substrate as an electrocatalyst for an alkaline GOR. An optimized electrode results in current density of 18 mA cm−2 at −0.3 V, open circuit potential of −0.85 V, exchange current density of 2.11 mA cm−2, charge transfer resistance of 89.01 Ω cm−2 and a low diffusive behavior toward GOR. The total Pt loadings for these electrodes are PCD > PSD > PSD/PCD, while the Pt quantity on top of the electrode surface is PSD/PCD > PCD > PSD. These results illustrate that applying PSD prior to PCD reduces Pt loading, helps the formation of Pt particles at the top surface, and thus leads to better electrocatalytic activity toward GOR.