A simple biofuel cell cathode with human red blood cells as electrocatalysts for oxygen reduction reaction.

A red blood cell (RBC) from human exhibited direct electron transfer (DET) activity on a bare indium tin oxide (ITO) electrode. A formal potential of -0.152 V vs.

Mechanism of selective oxygen reduction on platinum by 2,2'-bipyridine in the presence of methanol.

Mechanism of selective oxygen reduction on platinum by 2,2'-bipyridine in the presence of methanol has been investigated by in situ surface-enhanced infrared absorption spectroscopy. The addition of 2,2'-bipyridine caused the decrease of adsorbed water molecules and those existing near the surface of platinum. The formation of both CO and formate, the latter being the intermediate in the non-CO path for methanol oxidation, depressed in the presence of 2,2'-bipyridine, suggests that 2,2'-bipyridine hinders methanol oxidation via both non-CO and CO paths on platinum.