Electrocatalytic applications of a sol–gel derived cobalt phthalocyanine–dispersed carbon–ceramic electrode

The preparation and characterization of a surface renewable carbon–ceramic electrode, SiO2/SnO2/C-graphite/(SiPy+)4CoPcTs−4, is reported. Cobalt(II) tetrasulfonated phthalocyanine (CoPcTs−4) absorbed on a 3-n-propylpyridinium chloride silsesquioxane polymer was dispersed in a stannic-silica C-graphite sol–gel matrix. The performance of SiO2/SnO2/C-graphite/(SiPy+)4CoPcTs−4 as electrode material was investigated by cyclic voltammetry in the electrocatalytic oxidation of oxalic acid and nitrite. The modified carbon–ceramic material was characterized by X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy, BET specific surface area, thermogravimetric analysis, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscopy.