GLUCOSE-OXIDATION AT RUTHENIUM DIOXIDE-BASED ELECTRODES

The oxidation of glucose at RuO2-carbon paste composite electrodes in alkaline solution was examined. It is proposed that the catalytically active species are surface-bound oxyruthenium groups, and that the lat ter mediate substrate oxidation via a process of cyclic heterogeneous redox catalysis. The latter process can be described in terms of a Mic haelis-Menten mechanism involving the formation of a substrate-catalys t complex which subsequently decomposes to form product and pre-cataly st; the latter can subsequently be regenerated electrochemically. Henc e the oxyruthenium surface groups operate as inorganic enzyme analogue s.