Electrocatalysis and related factors of platinum microparticles dispersed on/in polypyrrole film in methanol oxidation

Platinum microparticles display effective electrocatalysis for methanol oxidation in 1 M MeOH + 1 M HClO4 and polypyrrole film exhibits a promotive action for such electrocatalysis. The electrocatalytic activity is determined by the loading mass of the platinum microparticles, and the potential and medium used for the electropolymerization of PPy film. The thickness of the polypyrrole film under the chosen experimental conditions is less critical towards the electrocatalysis of MeOH oxidation. The effect of the increase in electrode area due to the high dispersion of platinum microparticles is substantially deducted in the evaluation of the catalytic activity because the real surface of the platinum microparticles, rather than the projected area of the electrode, is used in the calculation of the current density. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science S.A. All rights reserved.