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Thiocyanate adlayer on a gold surface: an efficient strategy for enhanced electroreduction of hydrogen peroxide
Md Fahamidul Islam1,2, Mohebul Ahsan1,2, Motasim Bin Islam1
1Electrochemistry & Catalysis Research Laboratory (ECRL), Department of Chemistry, School of Physical Sciences, Shahjalal University of Science and Technology Sylhet 3114 Bangladesh mah-che@sust.edu.
Abstract:
This study explores the electrochemical reduction of H2O2 on an Au electrode containing potassium thiocyanate (KSCN) in an alkaline medium. The presence of thiocyanate (SCN-) ions in the reaction system modifies the Au electrode surface (SCN--modified Au) via self-assembled compact layer formation, confirmed by voltammetry, amperometry, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Acting as a 'gatekeeper', this adsorbed layer (abbreviated as 'adlayer') simultaneously overturns the oxidative degradation of H2O2 with dynamic adsorption-desorption behavior and significantly boosts the reduction reaction. Kinetic diagnosis reveals that the reaction is irreversible and diffusion-controlled, following first-order kinetics with a transfer coefficient (α) of 0.39 ± 0.02. Key analytical merits include a broad linear dynamic range spanning 50 to 2000 µM, a sensitive detection limit of 9.95 µM and operational stability with 97% signal retention. The practical utility of the SCN--modified Au electrode is validated through successful deployment in analyzing real industrial effluents, where it achieved high recovery rates, underscoring its potential for routine environmental and industrial analysis.
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