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The oxidation of ethyl alcohol at platinum electrodes was studied by a‐c differential capacitance measurements, current density measurements, rates of change of current density with time, constant current, voltage‐time traces, and product analyses. Capacitance measurements can be interpreted as indicating that ethyl alcohol adsorbs on platinum electrodes in 1NH2SO4 as CH3C*HOH in the voltage range from +0.3 to 1.0v (NHE) and as CH3CH2O* in the voltage range from 0.9 to 1.4v. Above 1.2v platinum forms an irreversibly adsorbed oxide film which is not catalytically active and which weakly adsorbs ethyl alcohol. On reduction of this platinum oxide an “activation” occurs resulting in high catalytic activity. Current density peaks at 0.9 and 1.2v are consistent with postulated adsorption properties. Similar studies indicated that acetaldehyde reacts in an analogous manner. Thus, the suggestion of other investigators that the minimum in the alcohol curve arises because of poisoning by acetaldehyde appears to be refuted.

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