Electrocatalytic Oxidation of Glucose at Gold Nanoparticle-modified PFC electrodes in an Alkaline Solution

The electrocatalytic oxidation of glucose at Au nanoparticle-modified PFC electrodes has been studied using voltammetry technique in a (5 mM glucose + 0.1 M NaOH) solution. The PFC electrode didn't show any activity in the potential of interest (i.e. −0.8 V to 0.8 V). However, a very interesting positive catalytic effect was observed upon modification of the electrode surface with gold nanoparticles (AuNPS). In fact, the effective glucose oxidation, via a two-electron process, to gluconolactone took place with an oxidation peak potential of ca. −0.38 V vs. Ag|AgCl (Sat. KCl) at the modified PFC electrode. The lactone was further oxidized at higher overpotential with a peak current at ca. 0.35 V vs. Ag|AgCl (Sat. KCl). The electrochemical deposition of gold nanoparticles onto PFC electrodes offered a cost-effective and rather simple way to prepare highly-catalytic catalyst (i.e. AuNPS/PFC) for a promising wide range of applications, fuel cells in particular.