Electrochemical oxidation of phenol on metal-impregnated zeolite electrodes

Abstract

Nanodispersed metallic clusters of platinum, silver and cobalt were incorporated into NaX zeolite cavities by impregnation with acetone solution of corresponding acetylacetonates and solvent evaporation followed by acetylacetonate thermal decomposition. The mixture of modified zeolites and 10 wt% of carbon black, in the form of a thin layer, was pasted onto a glassy carbon surface by Nafion. With such electrode materials, the phenol oxidation in neutral, alkaline and acid solution was studied by cyclovoltammetry. Deactivation of all electrodes in both neutral and alkaline medium was observed, indicating that polymerization reaction might be the main reaction pathway of phenol at higher pH values. Formation of quinine-type structures was obtained during electro-oxidation at lower pH values, being more significant in acidic solutions. © 2009 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.