In this study, a platinum-coated Ni foam catalyst (denoted PtNi/Ni foam) was investigated for the oxidation of the formate reaction (FOR) in an alkaline medium. The catalyst was fabricated via a two-step procedure, which involved an electroless deposition of the Ni layer using sodium hypophosphite as a reducing agent and the subsequent electrodeposition of the platinum layer. The PtNi/Ni foam catalyst demonstrated enhanced electrocatalytic activity for the FOR in an alkaline medium compared to the Ni/Ni foam catalyst and pure Pt electrode. Moreover, the PtNi/Ni foam catalyst promoted the FOR at more negative potentials than the Pt electrode. This contributed to a significant negative shift in the onset potential, indicating the high activity of the catalyst. Notably, in alkaline media with the PtNi/Ni foam catalyst, the FOR proceeds via a direct pathway mechanism without significant accumulation of poisonous carbonaceous species on the PtNi/Ni foam catalyst.

In this study, the carbon powder supported gold nanoparticles composites (AuNPs/C) were prepared via the chemical reduction method by employing sodium citrate or a complex mixture of glucose and ascorbic acid as reducing agents in the presence of small amounts of different halide ions (Cl–, Br–, I–). The electrocatalytic activity of the synthesized composites was evaluated for the electro-oxidation of glucose in an alkaline medium using cyclic voltammetry, whereas the morphology and composition of composites were characterized using field emission scanning electron microscopy and inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy. The electrochemical measurements demonstrate the enhanced electrocatalytic performance of the AuNPs/C composites prepared by the help of different reducing agents coupled with halide ions for the electro-oxidation of glucose as compared to that of composites that were synthesized by the use only of the reducing agents barely. The AuNPs/C composites synthesized with the presence of KCl, KBr or KI additive in the reaction mixture generate the increased glucose electro-oxidation current density values; furthermore, the glucose electro-oxidation potential is shifted to more negative values as compared to those obtained on the synthesized composites without halide additive.

The electrochemical oxidation of glucose was investigated on the Co and CoB alloy coatings, which were deposited on the copper substrate (Cu) and subsequently modified with a small amount of Au nanocrystallites. The catalysts were prepared via a simple electroless Co deposition method followed by a spontaneous Au galvanic displacement from the Au(III)-containing solution. The activity of Co and CoB alloy coatings modified with Au crystallites towards the oxidation of glucose was examined by the cyclic voltammetry method.It has been determined that the Co and CoB alloy coatings, which were modified with a small amount of Au crystallites, exhibit a significantly higher activity for the oxidation of glucose as compared to that of bare Au, Co and CoB alloy catalysts. The process of glucose oxidation is significantly shifted to a more negative potential domain at the both Co/Cu and CoB/Cu catalysts modified by Au nanocrystallites, indicating the higher activity of those catalysts as compared to that of the unmodified Co/Cu and CoB/Cu catalysts and the bare Au electrode. It was found that ca. 22 and even 67 times higher glucose oxidation current density values have been obtained at the AuCo/Cu and AuCoB/Cu catalysts, respectively, as compared to those for the unmodified CoB/ Cu and Co/Cu.

In this study, one-pot microwave-assisted synthesis was used to fabricate the graphene (GR)-supported PtCoM catalysts where M = Mn, Ru, and Mo. The catalysts with the molar ratios of metals Pt:Co:Mn, Pt:Co:Ru, and Pt:Co:Mo equal to 1:3:1, 1:2:2, and 7:2:1, respectively, were prepared. Catalysts were characterized using Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM). The electrocatalytic activity of the GR-supported PtCoMn, PtCoRu, and PtCoMo catalysts was evaluated toward methanol oxidation in an alkaline medium employing cyclic voltammetry and chrono-techniques. The most efficient electrochemical characteristics demonstrated the PtCoMn/GR catalyst with a current density value of 144.5 mA cm−2, which was up to 4.8 times higher than that at the PtCoRu(1:2:2)/GR, PtCoMo(7:2:1)/GR, and bare Pt/GR catalysts.

In this study, the gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) without carbon support were prepared using the well-known citrate reduction method. The carbon supported AuNPs nanocomposites were fabricated by two different approaches: chemical adsorption of AuNPs from the prepared citrate stabilized AuNP colloidal solution on the carbon powder surface and one-pot microwave-assisted synthesis. The nanocomposites were characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES). The electrocatalytic activity of the prepared catalysts was evaluated for the electrooxidation of glucose in an alkaline media using cyclic voltammetry. The highest electrocatalytic activity was observed for the catalyst of carbon supported Au nanoparticles prepared by microwave-assisted synthesis, followed by the catalyst of carbon supported Au nanoparticles prepared by means of the adsorption method, whereas the pure Au nanoparticles without carbon support exhibited the lowest electrocatalytic properties for glucose electrooxidation.