Acta Phys. -Chim. Sin. ›› 2011, Vol. 27 ›› Issue (08): 1854-1858.doi: 10.3866/PKU.WHXB20110828

• ELECTROCHEMISTRY AND NEW ENERGY • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Electrocatalytic Performance of Self-Supporting CNTs/SMF-Ni Hybrid Electrodes for the Aerobic Oxidation of p-MT to p-MBA

FANG Yu-Zhu, JIANG Fang-Ting, LU Yong   

  1. Shanghai Key Laboratory of Green Chemistry and Chemical Processes, Department of Chemistry, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200062, P. R. China
  • Received:2011-03-22 Revised:2011-05-18 Published:2011-07-19
  • Contact: LU Yong E-mail:ylu@chem.ecnu.edu.cn
  • Supported by:

    The project was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation (20973063, 21076083), National Key Basic Research Program of China (973) (2011CB201403), Specialized Research Fund for the Doctoral Program of Higher Education (20090076110006), and Shanghai Rising-Star Program (10HQ1400800), Shanghai Leading Academic Discipline Project (B409).

Abstract:

A promising macroscopic carbon nanotube (CNT) system was developed by catalytic chemical vapor deposition through CNT growth on a three-dimensional network of sinter-locked conductive metal microfibers (i.e., SMF-Ni using 8 μm nickel fibers and SMF-SS using 8 μm SS316L fibers). The electrocatalytic performance of CNTs/SMF-Ni [CNTs: 50% (w)] and CNTs/SMF-SS [CNTs: 40% (w)] hybrids were examined as electrodes in the aerobic oxidation of p-anisaldehyde (p-MT) to p-cresol methyl ether (p-MBA). An excellent conversion of 95.4% and a target product selectivity of 96.5% can be obtained with a very high electric current efficiency of >80% in the presence of air at a current density of 16 mA·cm-2 in a methanol/p-MT/KF electrolyte using SMF-SS and CNTs/SMF-Ni as an anode and a cathode, respectively.

Key words: CNTs, Electrochemical oxidation, p-Anisaldehyde, p-Cresol methyl ether