Electropolymerization Mechanism for Poly(o-phenylenediamine)(PPD) and Its Electrocatalytic Behavior for O2 Reduction

Abstract

o-phenylenediamine (o-PD) was electropolymerized on glassy carbon electrodes under a potential cycling condition. The resulting polymer films mediated electrons for the reduction of molecular oxygen at pH=1.0. It was found from the RDE, RRDE, and cyclic voltammetry experiments that the modified electrodes reduce oxygen to hydrogen peroxide at about 300 mV lower potential than the bare glassy carbon electrode. The polymer film consisted of more than two components. Among those, only one component was active in oxygen reduction, which was formed mainly in the earlier stage of the electropolymerization. 2,3-diaminophenazine. a cyclic dimer of o-PD, was also active in the oxygen reductions reaction, from which it was suggested that the active polymeric component has a structural unit similar to the cyclic dimer. Finally, the electropolymerization mechanism for the formation of the active and inactive components has been proposed.