Formaldehyde Yields from Methanol Electrochemical Oxidation on Platinum

Formaldehyde formed in the electrochemical oxidation of methanol was measured in order to assess its importance as a reaction intermediate and potential source of efficiency loss in direct methanol fuel cells. Formaldehyde generated from 15 mM methanol in 0.1 M HClO 4 at fixed potentials with a small volume electrolysis arrangement was determined with a sensitive fluorescence assay. The formaldehy…