Multidimensional electrochemical imaging in materials science

In the past 20 years the characterization of electroactive surfaces and electrode reactions by scanning probe techniques has advanced significantly, benefiting from instrumental and methodological developments in the field. Electrochemical and electrical analysis instruments are attractive tools for identifying regions of different electrochemical properties and chemical reactivity and contribute to the advancement of molecular electronics. Besides their function as a surface analytical device, they have proved to be unique tools for local synthesis of polymers, metal depots, clusters, etc. This review will focus primarily on progress made by use of scanning electrochemical microscopy (SECM), conductive AFM (C-AFM), electrochemical scanning tunneling microscopy (EC-STM), and surface potential measurements, for example Kelvin probe force microscopy (KFM), for multidimensional imaging of potential-dependent processes on metals and electrified surfaces modified with polymers and self assembled monolayers. Figure Electrochemical and electrical tools like scanning electrochemical microscopy, conductive atomic force microscopy, electrochemical scannig tunneling microscopy and Kelvin probe force microscopy (see figure) are powerful tools for the multidimensional imaging of potential-dependent processes on metals and electrified surfaces modified with polymers and self assembled monolayers.