DEMS Study of the Acetic Acid Oxidation on Boron-Doped Diamond Eelectrode

The electrochemical oxidation of acetic acid in 1 M was studied on boron-doped diamond electrode using differential electrochemical mass spectrometry (DEMS). DEMS was used to identify products and intermediates of the reaction, monitored online during the potential sweep. The measurements showed that the main product of acetic acid oxidation is , which is formed without showing any evidence for the direct discharge of acetic acid resulting in the Kolbe reaction. In fact, only a small amount of ethane was detected by DEMS. In addition to ethane, methanol was identified as a main intermediate of acetic acid oxidation. Based on these results, a model of indirect oxidation of acetic acid via hydroxyl radicals has been proposed.