Surface Effects on Chemical Bond Activation in Water and Small Organic Molecules During Electrochemical Conversion to Carbon Dioxide

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The electrocatalytic oxidation of small organic molecules forms the focus of the research of Professor Korzeniewski at Texas Tech University. This project, supported by the Analytical and Surface Chemistry Program, addresses the kinetics of formation of intermediates in the electrocatalytic oxidation of methanol using chromatography coupled with small volume electrolysis methods. The activation of water in these electrolytic processes is probed by monitoring the effect of the activation on the oscillatory voltammetry of CO on the platinum electrode. Information from these studies will enable the improved design of direct methanol fuel cells as well as the use of electrocatalysis for the destruction of organic contaminants in groundwater. A detailed understanding of the electrocatalytic oxidation of small organic molecules is important to the development of fuel cells and processes for remediation of contaminated groundwater sources. This research project studies the mechanisms of these processes using a combination of chromatographic detection of reaction intermediates and voltammetric probes of electrode kinetics.