Poly(1-Naphthylamine)-Nickel Modified Glassy Carbon Electrode for Electrocatalytic Oxidation of Formaldehyde in Alkaline Medium

The electrocatalytic oxidation of formaldehyde on poly(1-naphthylamine)-nickel modified glassy carbon electrode (P(NA)-Ni/GCE) was developed. This involves in situ electropolymerization of 1-naphthylamine at glassy carbon electrode, which is following to the incorporation of Ni(II) to polymeric layer by immersion of modified electrode in 1.0 M nickel sulphate solution. The general electrochemical behavior was characterized by cyclic voltammetry and chronoamperometry methods in alkaline media. The results show that the (P(NA)-Ni/GCE system exhibits a significant electrocatalytic activity towards oxidation of formaldehyde. The effects of scan rate and formaldehyde concentration on the electrocatalytic oxidation of formaldehyde were also investigated at the surface of P(NA)-Ni/GCE. The diffusion coefficient (D = 2.85x10(-4) cm(2) s(-1)), and the transfer coefficient (alpha = 0.36) of formaldehyde were calculated.