Electrochemical oxidation of ethanol at thermally prepared RuO2-modified electrodes in alkaline media

Electrochemical oxidation of ethanol was investigated at bare Ni, RuO2-modi fied Ti, and RuO2-modified Ni electrodes in alkaline media using cyclic vol tammetry. Anodic peak currents for ethanol oxidation increased with an incr ease in the concentration of ethanol during forward potential sweeps, where as the cathodic peak currents showed a decrease at these electrodes, sugges ting that these electrodes act as effective electron transfer mediators. Th e most efficient oxidation was observed at the RuO2-modified Ni electrode. Nickel was found to facilitate the electro-oxidation of ethanol at the ther mally prepared RuO2-modified Ni electrode in alkaline media. (C) 1999 The E lectrochemical Society. S0013-4651(98)01-053-2. All rights reserved.