Performance of Au/Ti and Au/TiO<inf>2</inf> Nanotube Array Electrodes for Borohydride Oxidation and Oxygen Reduction Reaction in Alkaline Media

Abstract

Polarization curves and complex kinetics of oxygen reduction (ORR) and borohydride oxidation (BOR) reaction were evaluated at thin Au layer on Ti and TiO2 electrodes. TiO2 electrodes prepared included amorphous TiO2 (AM−TiO2) and anatase (A−TiO2). The electrodes structure and nanotube arrays morphology were observed by XRD and SEM, respectively. All electrodes show activity for both ORR and BOR. The use of Au layer over A−TiO2 produces the strongest synergistic effect for ORR with exchange of 3 electrons. On the other hand, the strongest effect for BOR was observed in case of Au/Ti.