ATTEMPTS TO MODIFY AN ELECTRODE WITH A CONDUCTING PLATINUM CLUSTER COMPOUND

A conducting platinum cluster compound K1.64Pt(C2O4)(2) was electrochemically synthesized on a glassy carbon electrode through the electrooxidation of K2Pt(C2O4)(2) in an aqueous medium using single potential step and cyclic voltammetry methods. The precursor K2Pt(C2O4)(2) was prepared by a ligand exchange reaction between C2O42- and PtCl42-. During single potential step experiments, the electrolytic current corresponding to the oxidation of K2Pt(C2O4)(2) increased dramatically after a sharp decrease at the beginning (due to the formation of conducting K1.64Pt(C2O4)(2) on the surface of the working electrode). Two kinds of mechanism account for the current transients at the different applied potentials. Cyclic voltammetry was conducted with K1.64Pt(C2O4)(2) on the surface of the working electrode and a steady-state diffusion current was observed. Since the material grew in a fibrous manner, each conducting fiber which was in contact with the electrode could serve as an ultramicroelectrode. The behavior of the working electrode was thus changed from a plain to an ultramicroelectrode array.