Title: electrocatalysis
Long Title: IUPAC Gold Book - electrocatalysis
DOI: 10.1351/goldbook.09094
Status: current

Definition
Detection principle for a chemically modified electrode (CME) in which a charge transfer reaction between a CME and analyte proceeds at a lower overpotential than at the bare electrode. Usually, the effect of electrocatalysis is also an increase of faradaic current.

Note
Electrocatalysis at a CME must be distinguished from redox mediation.

Example
Hydrogen evolution at HMDE catalyzed by adsorbed organic bases, oxygen reduction, water oxidation, hydroxylamine oxidation at CME with metal complex compounds as the electrocatalyst.

Related Term
- redox mediation: https://goldbook.iupac.org//terms/view/09095

Source
- PAC, 2020, 92, 641. 'Terminology of Electrochemical Methods of Analysis (IUPAC Recommendations 2019)' on page 658 (https://doi.org/10.1515/pac-2018-0109)

Other Outputs
- html: https://goldbook.iupac.org/terms/view/09094/html
- json: https://goldbook.iupac.org/terms/view/09094/json
- xml: https://goldbook.iupac.org/terms/view/09094/xml

Citation: Citation: 'electrocatalysis' in IUPAC Compendium of Chemical Terminology, 5th ed. International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry; 2025. Online version 5.0.0, 2025. 10.1351/goldbook.09094
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Accessed: 2026-07-27T17:12:36+00:00