title: Spectroelectrochemical flow cell with temperature control for investigation of electrocatalytic systems with surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy.
abstract: We describe a method for investigating the reaction mechanism of fuel cell systems by designing a spectroelectrochemical cell with functions of temperature and flow control to mimic the reaction condition of fuel cell systems and utilizing Au core Pt shell (Au@Pt) nanoparticles to enhance the Raman signal of the surface species on the surface of electrocatalysts. The cell consists of three parts: a thin-layer spectroelectrochemical reaction chamber with an optical window for Raman measurement, the heating chamber right beneath the reaction chamber, and a long spiral flow channel to preheat the solution to the desired temperature and effectively exchange the solution. The temperature of the solution can be easily controlled from room temperature to 80 degrees C, and the flow rate can be as high as 945 microl s(-1). The temperature and flow control is demonstrated by monitoring the changes in the cyclic voltammograms and the Raman signals. By synthesizing Au@Pt nanoparticles and assembling them on a Pt substrate, we can significantly enhance the Raman signal of surface species on the Pt shell surface, which allows us to detect strong signal of CO as the dissociative product of formic acid as well as the intermediate species of the oxidation process. The further development and perspectives of using SERS to study the electrocatalytic systems are discussed.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory for Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Department of Chemistry, Xiamen University, Xiamen 36100, China. bren@xmu.edu.cn
authors.forename: Bin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ren
authors.forename: Xiao-Bing
authors.initials: XB
authors.lastname: Lian
authors.forename: Jian-Feng
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Ping-Ping
authors.initials: PP
authors.lastname: Fang
authors.forename: Qun-Ping
authors.initials: QP
authors.lastname: Lai
authors.forename: Zhong-Qun
authors.initials: ZQ
authors.lastname: Tian
mesh_terms: D004563:Electrochemistry / Q000295:instrumentation*; D004566:Electrodes; D004867:Equipment Design; D019544:Equipment Failure Analysis; D017022:Flow Injection Analysis / Q000295:instrumentation*; D006361:Heating; D013048:Specimen Handling / Q000379:methods*; D013057:Spectrum Analysis / Q000379:methods*; D020349:Surface Plasmon Resonance / Q000295:instrumentation*