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Updated: Dec 20, 2025
Raman and IR Spectroelectrochemical Methods as Tools to Analyze Conjugated Organic Compounds
Published on: October 12, 2018
Investigating the effects of pyridine and poly(4-vinylpyridine) on CO2 reduction electrocatalysis at gold electrodes
1School of Chemical Sciences, Dublin City University, Glasnevin, Dublin 9, Ireland. james.walsh@dcu.ie and National Centre for Sensor Research, Dublin City University, Glasnevin, Dublin 9, Ireland.
Abstract:
The CO2 reduction reaction (CO2RR) at metal electrodes is altered in the presence of pyridine and related species. Thick films of poly(4-vinylpyridine) on Au electrodes result in large current enhancements at low applied potentials but do not enhance CO2RR at these potentials. Surface-enhanced Raman spectroelectrochemistry can probe CO2-surface interactions and reveals that desorption of CO2 as bicarbonate is retarded in the presence of 4-PVP, with implications for ion-transport limitations in thick film CO2RR.
