Abstract
The electrochemical reduction of di-carboxylic acids; oxalic, succinic, malic, and tartaric have been studied on the gold nanoparticles modified electrode in aqueous media solution of 0.1 M KCl. Gold nanoparticle (Au
NPs
)-modified electrodes were prepared by the electrodeposition with cyclic voltammetric method onto glassy carbon electrode in acidic media. The surface morphology of the electrodeposited gold nanoparticles was examined by SEM. Also, the electrochemical properties of the prepared electrodes were investigated with different electrochemical techniques; cyclic voltammetry, chronoamperometry, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. Cyclic voltammetric, chronoamperometric, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopic techniques were used for investigating the electrochemical behavior of the particulate acids. The modification of the electrode with Au nanoparticles (Au
NPs
) enables the appearance of cyclic voltammogram peaks completely clear and sharp for the acids under investigation in comparison with the poor behavior of them in absence of the modification. All acids undergo totally irreversible redox reaction in neutral and acid media. The cyclic voltammetric response of the investigated acids is sensitive to pH, as well as of the scan rate. Each acid has a different reduction peak position from the other acids depending on the structure of the acid undergo the electroreduction process. Further, the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital energies of the investigated acids have been theoretically evaluated and are compared with their electroreduction potential peaks.