Noble metal-free La0.80Sr0.20CoO3 thin film electrode for sodium formate electrooxidation

A noble metal-free catalyst is prepared for formate electrooxidation. A nanoporous thin film electrode of strontium doped lanthanum cobalt oxide (LSCO), coated on fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) substrate is employed to study the electrocatalytic oxidation of sodium formate. A series of studies using cyclic voltammetry, chronoamperometry and gas-chromatography were performed to investigate the reactions. The formation of both CO and CO<inf>2</inf> is observed in thegasanalysis.At1.8 V vs RHE, the current density of 4.0 mA.cm⁻² is achieved in a solution of 0.5 M sodium formate and phosphate buffer (PBS, pH = 7). Thin-film electrode remains active for a long period showing a slow process of CO poisoning on the surface.