Adsorption of acetic acid (acetate ion) on a lead dioxide anode in aqueous electrolyte solutions

Radioisotopes have been used to investigate the influence of the pH of the solution, the nature of the base electrolyte, the concentration of the adsorbate, and of the applied potential on the adsorption of CH/sub 3/COOH. This paper examines the adsorption of CH/sub 3/COOH on PbO/sub 2/. The state of the electrode surface has been investigated by means of x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. It has been found that the chemical O-C bond in CH/sub 3/COOH is maintained in the adsorbed state. The measurements were performed on a rotating disk electrode in a cell with separated electrode compartments at 20/sup 0/C. In the adsorbed state the acetate ion has the same relative contribution of C ls electrons of the methyl and carboxyl groups of 80:20 as in solid sodium acetate.