ADSORPTION AND OXIDATION OF ETHANE, N-BUTANE, AND N-OCTANE ON PLATINUM ELECTRODES

Ethane, n-butane, and n-octane are adsorbed from aqueous sulfuric acid solutions onto platinum electrodes at 0.25-0.55V vs. NHE. At potentials higher than 0,30V how fast the surface coverage builds up depends on both the rate of adsorption and the rate of anodic oxidation. At 0.25-0.30V adsorption can be studied independently. Rate data show that adsorption is potential independent and first order in apparent uncovered surface area. Studies of the kinetics of anodic oxidation and studies of hydrogen codeposition indicate that the adsorbed species are similar for ethane and n-octane but differ for n-butane adsorption. © 1969, The Electrochemical Society, Inc. All rights reserved.