Synthesis and physioelectrochemical characterization of triethylammonium bisulphate ionic liquid and the role of the electrode surface oxides during ethanol oxidation

Electrochemistry of ethanol and dimethyl ether at a Pt electrode in a protic ionic liquid: the electrode poisoning mechanism

A protic ionic liquid (PIL), N,N-diethyl-N-methyl ammonium trifluoromethane sulfonate, [dema][TfO] was synthesized and confirmed using 1H-NMR and ion chromatography (IC). The surface electrocatalysis of ethanol (EtOH) and dimethyl ether (DME) was investigated on a polycrystalline Pt electrode in a PIL using a cyclic voltammetry technique. The voltammetry response shows that surface Pt-oxides/hydroxides (PtOH/PtO) are formed due to the oxidation of trace water (240 ppm determined by coulometric Karl-Fischer (FT) titration) in [dema][TfO] which plays a pivotal role during the electrocatalytic oxidation of EtOH and DME in the PIL. Oxidation of EtOH and DME coincides with coverage of the Pt surface by the adsorbed oxide species that helps to activate both processes by oxidizing the adsorbed poisoning CO and CO-like intermediate species via a 'bifunctional' reaction mechanism. The influence of temperature was investigated to obtain quantitative and qualitative information on the kinetics of EtOH oxidation. Higher activation energies are measured for EtOH oxidation in [dema][TfO] than in aqueous electrolytes due to the low water content and high viscosity of the PIL. This study gave a basic insight into the mechanism of EtOH and DME oxidation reactions, and the Pt-electrode poisoning species formation mechanism in the neoteric electrolyte medium is electrochemically investigated and reported.

Synthesis, characterization and electrochemistry of triethyl ammonium sulphate ionic liquid

Protic ionic liquids (PILs) being intrinsic proton conducting ionic species are considered as potential green electrolytes for study of electrocatalytic reactions and for fabrication of IL-based fuel cells (FCs) and batteries. We have prepared a sulfate anion based protic ionic liquid (PIL), triethylammonium sulfate (TEAS) through a reaction involving transfer of proton from H2SO4 to triethylamine (TEA). 1H NMR and FT-IR spectroscopic techniques were employed for confirmation of the synthesis of TEAS and water content of the PIL was quantified using coulometric Karl–Fischer (KF) titration. 1H NMR and FT-IR analysis confirm the synthesis of the PILs and KF-titration analysis shows that TEAS contains 1.43 w/w % water. Electrical conductivity of TEAS was determined at different temperatures showing that the PIL has excellent ionic conductivity that enhances with rise in temperature of the medium. The temperature dependence of the conductivity of the PIL follows the Arrhenius equation as the logσ versus 1/T plot is linear. The electrochemical windows (EWs) of the electrolyte were found using cyclic voltammetry at Pt and Au working electrodes and found to decrease with increase in temperature of the medium. The data revealed that the surfaces of the electrodes are covered with oxide layers due to oxidation of trace water (1.43 w/w %) present in the PIL. The oxide layers growth increase and their onset potential moves to less positive values as the temperature of the PILs is increased. The data was compared with the literature and would be helpful in understanding of the surface electrochemistry in this neoteric medium for being used as potential electrolyte in industry for various electrochemical applications.