Platinum Alloys for Oxidation of Oxalic Acid

Many complex carbohydrates can break down through oxidation cascades; these oxidation cascades have the potential produce energy with the help of organic, inorganic, and biological catalysts. Fructose is one such molecule that can break down through an oxidation cascade, and is being used as a model to pave the way for the development of a catalytic material that can be used to harness energy from complex carbohydrates. The focus of this project was on the last step of the fructose oxidation cascade, the break down of oxalic acid into carbon dioxide. Platinum is a well known but expensive oxidation catalyst. To explore performance of platinum tin alloys in catalysis the oxidation of oxalic acid, electrochemistry techniques, specifically cyclic voltammetry, was utilized. Through the cyclic voltammetry, a platinum tin alloy in a 1:1 ratio as well as a 3:1 ratio were tested for their ability to oxidize oxalic acid in buffers with varying pHs and concentrations of oxalic acid. Platinum was used as a control. It was found that none of the alloys nor platinum showed any activity at a basic pH (pH 8 and 10), and the platinum tin alloy in a 1:1 ratio was found to be an acceptable substitute for a pure platinum catalyst. This alloy has the possibility of preforming on the same level as platinum to be used to catalyze the oxidation of oxalic acid.