Fabrication of La-doped TiO2 Film Electrode and investigation of its electrocatalytic activity for furfural reduction

Lanthanum trivalent ions (La3+) doped nano-TiO2 film electrode was prepared by the sol–gel method. The prepared electrode was characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and cyclic voltammetry (CV). The electrocatalytic properties of the roughened TiO2 film electrode towards the electrocatalytic reduction of furfural to furfural alcohol were evaluated by CV and preparative electrolysis experiments. The results of the optimum molar ratio of La: Ti was 0.005:1. Experimental evidence was presented that the La nano-TiO2 electrode exhibited higher electrocatalytic activity for the reduction of furfural than the undoped nano-TiO2 electrode in N,N-dimethylformamide medium. Bulk electrolysis studies were also carried out for the reduction of furfural and the product was confirmed by NMR.