Comparative studies of catechol at ordinary and nanostructured mesoporous platinum electrodes using convolutive voltammetry and numerical simulation methods

Abstract The electrochemical behavior of catechol was examined using convolutive cyclic voltammetry and numerical simulation at the ordinary platinum electrode and nanostructured mesoporous platinum film deposited electrochemically from the hexagonal liquid crystalline template of C16EO8 surfactant. The mesoporous platinum electrode has shown excellent electrocatalytic properties and reversibility toward the oxidation of catechol in 1.0 M HClO4. It was found the peak potential separation (ΔEp) has been lowered from 430 to 75 mV vs. SCE at ordinary and mesoporous platinum electrodes, respectively. Cyclic voltammograms of catechol on ordinary Pt electrode exhibit one anodic peak in the forward scan of potential but on the reverse scan the corresponding cathodic peak disappears and a new peak is observed at a less positive potential. But for the mesoporous platinum electrode, the voltammogram exhibits one anodic peak in the forward scan of potential and its corresponding cathodic peak in the reverse scan. On the basis of the electrochemical behavior, we propose an ECEC mechanism for the electrochemical oxidation of catechol in 1.0 M HClO4 at both electrodes. Numerical simulation was used to confirm the proposed electrode reaction.