Covalent attachment of TEMPO onto a graphite felt electrode and application in electrocatalysis

This work describes a simple method to attach TEMPO by an amide link to a graphite felt electrode. The derivatization of the electrode is highlighted by cyclic voltammetry and XPS analyses. Cyclic voltammetry analyses showed the catalytic activity of the grafted TEMPO in both organic and aqueous media. The electrolyses revealed improved stability of the grafted catalyst in aqueous medium compared to acetonitrile. Furthermore, the catalyst is more stable when it is immobilized onto the electrode than when it is in homogeneous solution. The XPS analyses of the grafted felt after electrocatalysis in aqueous medium shows that the degradation of the modified electrode during the electrolysis is not due to a break of the amide link between the graphite felt and TEMPO.