POISON FORMATION REACTION FROM FORMIC-ACID ON PT(100) ELECTRODES MODIFIED BY IRREVERSIBLY ADSORBED BISMUTH AND ANTIMONY

Dissociative adsorption of formic acid on adatom modified Pt(100) elec trodes was carried out as a way of studying inhibition of the poison f ormation reaction on these surfaces. The electrodes were prepared usin g irreversible adsorption of bismuth and antimony. The dissociative ad sorption method employed throughout this work leads to an improvement in surface control with respect to that previously used. Results show that bismuth and antimony adsorbed on Pt(100) electrode inhibit poison formation through a third body mechanism. Poison species (CO(ads)) ca n be isolated and characterized in the high coverage range as a conseq uence of the dissociative adsorption technique employed.