Electrocatalysis at graphite and carbon nanotube modified electrodes: edge-plane sites and tube ends are the reactive sites

A review. Carbon, and particularly graphite in its various forms, is an attractive electrode material. Two areas of particular interest are modified C electrodes and C nanotube electrodes. The authors focus on the relation between surface structure and electrochem. and chem. reactivity of electrodes based on these materials. The authors overview recent work in this area which led one to believe that much of the catalytic activity, electron transfer and chem. reactivity of graphitic C electrodes is at surface defect sites, and in particular edge-plane-like defect sites. The authors also question the claimed special catalytic properties of C nanotube modified electrodes. [on SciFinder(R)]