The influence of formaldehyde and formic acid on the methanol oxidation reaction(MOR) occurring on the platinum electrode

Influence of formaldehyde and formic acid on the methanol oxidation reaction(MOR) that happened on the platinum electrode was respectively studied by cyclic voltammetry(CV).The results demonstrated that the enhanced oxidation peak current of methanol was not only originated from formaldehyde,and there must be some catalysis of formaldehyde or its intermediates for the methanol oxidation reaction.Based on the former literatures,the catalysis pattern of formaldehyde for MOR on platinum surface was proposed.The results obtained from the effect of formic acid on the oxidation of methanol has revealed that formic acid attenuated the oxidation of methanol,probably due to the formation of methyl formiate during the electrooxidation process.