ELECTROCHEMICAL-BEHAVIOR OF OXOCARBONS ON SINGLE-CRYSTAL PLATINUM-ELECTRODES - PART V - TETRAHYDROXY-P-BENZOQUINONE IN 0.5 M SULFURIC-ACID MEDIUM

The electrochemical behaviour of tetrahydroxy-p-benzoquinone (THQ) on Pt(111), Pt(100) and Pt(110) surfaces has been studied in sulphuric ac id solutions by cyclic voltammetry. The experimental results show that THQ is the oxocarbon having a lesser tendency to form CO-like species after adsorption on platinum surfaces. THQ is directly adsorbed on Pt (111) and Pt(100), although it is not stable and undergoes a slow reac tion to CO adspecies on Pt(100) surfaces. Clear evidence of CO adspeci es has been found only on Pt(100) electrodes. (C) 1997 Elsevier Scienc e S.A.