posted on 2016-09-08, 14:20authored byMasakazu Murase, Gaku Kitahara, Tomiko M. Suzuki, Riichiro Ohta
An
electrochemical electrode physisorbed with Ni(cyclam) complex
molecules containing tetraphenylborate ions (BPh4–) as counteranions shows catalytic activity for the reduction reaction
of CO2 to CO in an aqueous electrolyte, superior to that
of an electrode physisorbed with conventional [Ni(cyclam)]Cl2 complex molecules. The BPh4–-containing
Ni(cyclam) is inferred as having high hydrophobicity based on its
Hansen solubility parameter (HSP), with an interaction sphere excluding
HSPs of water in a three-dimensional vector space. The high hydrophobicity
of BPh4–-containing Ni(cyclam) molecules
inhibits their dissolution into aqueous electrolyte and retains their
immobilization onto the electrode surface, which we believe to result
in the improved catalytic activity of the electrode physisorbed with
them. HSP analysis also provides an optimized mixing ratio of solvents
dissolving BPh4–-containing Ni(cyclam)
molecules.