Electrosynthesized polytyramine-copper oxalate nanocomposite on copper electrode for electrocatalytic oxidation of methanol in alkaline medium

A polytyramine-copper oxalate nanocomposite modified copper (PTCOxNMC) electrode prepared by electropolymerization was examined for electrocatalytic activity towards the oxidation of methanol in alkaline solution using cyclic voltammetry and impedance spectroscopy. The prepared PTCOxNMC electrode showed a significantly high response for adsorbed methanol oxidation. The effects of various parameters such as potential scan rate and methanol concentration on the electrocatalytic oxidation at the surface of the PTCOxNMC electrode were investigated. Spectrometry techniques such as Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy were used to determine the surface physical characteristics of the modified electrode and revealed that the polytyramine-copper oxalate nanocomposite particles were highly dispersed on the surface of the copper electrode with a narrow size up to 40 nm. The very high current density obtained for the catalytic oxidation may have resulted from the high electrode surface area caused by modification with the poly-tyramine-copper oxalate nanocomposite.

Graphical AbstractThis paper describes the use of a polytyramine-copper oxalate nanocomposite formed on a copper electrode as a suitable mediator for electrocatalytic oxidation of methanol in alkaline medium as well as a surface corrosion inhibitor.Figure optionsDownload as PowerPoint slide