Electro-catalytic Reduction of Acetylene on Platinum

Abstract

The kinetics of the cathodic reduction of acetylene on platinized platinum in aqueous acid solutions are reported. The products are both ethylene and ethane. Tafel slopes, the reaction order in hydrogen ion and the enthalpy of activation have been determined by steady-state potentiostatic techniques combined with chromatographic analysis. The observed parameters in the reduction are compared and constrastcd with those of ethylene reduction reported previously. Tafel slopes, the potential dependence of the products, a limiting current and the pH effects are interpreted in terms of a r.d.s. between a strongly adsorbed organic species and adsorbed hydrogen.