An in situ Infrared Spectroscopic Study of Glutamic Acid and of Aspartic Acid Adsorbed on TiO(2): Implications for the Biocompatibility of Titanium

In situ ATR-IR spectroscopy has been applied to the study of glutamic (Glu) and aspartic (Asp) acid adsorbed on amorphous TiO(2) particle films. Unlike Asp, which gives evidence of one major adsorbed species, Glu yields several spectroscopically distinct structures upon adsorption to TiO(2). The pH dependence of Glu and Asp adsorption is also different, with Glu adsorbing markedly to TiO(2) at pH where electrostatic interactions between the surface and adsorbate are unfavorable. Application of the Langmuir model to adsorption isotherms yields a single binding constant for Asp and two binding constants for Glu, further supporting the evidence for different adsorbed Glu species. This is the first investigation of the molecular structure of Glu and Asp species adsorbed on amorphous TiO(2) using in situ ATR-IR spectroscopy. Copyright 2000 Academic Press.     

Adsorption of enterobactin to metal oxides and the role of siderophores in bacterial adhesion to metals

The potential contribution of chemical bonds formed between bacterial cells and metal surfaces during biofilm initiation has received little attention. Previous work has suggested that bacterial siderophores may play a role in bacterial adhesion to metals. It has now been shown using in situ ATR-IR spectroscopy that enterobactin, a catecholate siderophore secreted by Escherichia coli, forms covalent bonds with particle films of titanium dioxide, boehmite (AlOOH), and chromium oxide-hydroxide which model the surfaces of metals of significance in medical and industrial settings. Adsorption of enterobactin to the metal oxides occurred through the 2,3-dihydroxybenzoyl moieties, with the trilactone macrocycle having little involvement. Vibrational modes of the 2,3-dihydroxybenzoyl moiety of enterobactin, adsorbed to TiO(2), were assigned by comparing the observed IR spectra with those calculated by the density functional method. Comparison of the observed adsorbate IR spectrum with the calculated spectra of catecholate-type [H(2)NCOC(6)H(3)O(2)Ti(OH)(4)](2-) and salicylate-type [H(2)NCOC(6)H(3)O(2)HTi(OH)(4)](2-) surface complexes indicated that the catecholate type is dominant. Analysis of the spectra for enterobactin in solution and that adsorbed to TiO(2) revealed that the amide of the 2,3-dihydroxybenzoylserine group reorientates during coordination to surface Ti(IV) ions. Investigation into the pH dependence of enterobactin adsorption to TiO(2) surfaces showed that all 2,3-dihydroxybenzoyl groups are involved. Infrared absorption bands attributed to adsorbed enterobactin were also strongly evident for E. coli cells attached to TiO(2) particle films. These studies give evidence of enterobactin-metal bond formation and further suggest the generality of siderophore involvement in bacterial biofilm initiation on metal surfaces.     

Electrochemical preparation and structural characterization of Co thin films and their anomalous IR properties

Nanometer scale cobalt thin films of different structures and thicknesses supported on glassy carbon were prepared by electrochemical deposition under cyclic voltammetric conditions (denoted nm-Co/GC(n)). The thickness of Co thin films was altered systematically by varying the number (n) of potential cycling within a defined potential range in electrodeposition. Electrochemical in situ scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) and ex situ scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were employed to characterize the surface structure of Co thin films. It has been illustrated that the Co thin films were uniformly composed of Co nanoparticles, whose structure and size varied with increasing n. The structure of nanoparticles inside the Co thin films underwent a transition from bearded nanoparticles to multiform nanoparticles and finally to hexagonal nanosheets, accompanying with an increase of average size. In situ FTIR reflection spectroscopic studies employing CO adsorption as probe reaction revealed that the Co thin films all exhibited anomalous IR properties; that is, along with their different nanostructures they presented abnormal IR effects, Fano-like IR effects, and surface-enhanced IR absorption effects. CO adsorbed on Co thin films dominated by bearded nanoparticles yielded abnormal IR absorption bands; that is, the direction of the bands is inverted completely, with enhanced intensity in comparison with those of CO adsorbed on a bulk Co electrode. The enhancement of abnormal IR absorption has reached a maximal value of 26.2 on the nm-Co/GC(2) electrode. Fano-like IR features, which describe the bipolar IR bands with their positive-going peak on the low wavenumbers side, were observed in cases of CO adsorbed on Co thin films composed mainly of multiform nanoparticles, typically on the nm-Co/GC(8) electrode. IR features were finally changed into surface-enhanced IR absorption as CO adsorbed on the nm-Co/GC(30) electrode, on which the Co thin film is dominated by Co hexagonal nanosheets.     

L-glutathione chemisorption on gold and acid/base induced structural changes: a PM-IRRAS and time-resolved in situ ATR-IR spectroscopic study

Adsorption of the tripeptide L-glutathione (gamma-glu-cys-gly) on gold surfaces was investigated by polarization modulation infrared reflection absorption spectroscopy (PM-IRRAS) and attenuated total reflection (ATR) infrared spectroscopy. PM-IRRAS was used to study ex situ the adsorbate layer prepared from aqueous solutions at different pH, whereas ATR-IR was applied to study in situ adsorption from ethanol in the presence and absence of acid and base. ATR-IR was furthermore combined with modulation spectroscopy in order to investigate the reversible changes within the adsorbate layer induced by acid and base stimuli, respectively. The molecule is firmly anchored on the gold surface via the thiol group of the cys part. However, the ATR-IR spectra in ethanol indicate a further interaction with the gold surface via the carboxylic acid group of the gly part of the molecule, which deprotonates upon adsorption. Hydrochloric acid readily protonates the two acid groups of the adsorbed molecule. During subsequent ethanol flow the acid groups deprotonate again, a process which proceeds in two distinct steps: a fast step associated with the deprotonation of the acid in the glu part of the molecule and a considerably slower step associated with deprotonation of the acid in the gly moiety. The latter process is assisted by the interaction of the corresponding acid group with the surface. The spectra furthermore indicate a rearrangement of the hydrogen bonding network within the adsorbate layer upon deprotonation. Depending on the protonation state during adsorption of l-glutathione, the response toward identical protonation-deprotonation stimuli is significantly different. This is explained by the ionic state-dependent shape of the molecule, as supported by density functional theory calculations. The different shapes of the individual molecules during layer formation thus influence the structure of the adsorbate layer.     

Electron scattering cross section on the surface of thin ag and au films induced by atomic deuterium adsorption

The electron scattering cross section on the surface of thin silver and gold films induced by adsorption of atomic deuterium under conditions when a single adsorption state is formed was determined. Adsorption of atomic deuterium carried out at 78 K on sintered thin silver (gold) films deposited on Pyrex glass under ultrahigh vacuum conditions was studied measuring the resistance changes DeltaR "in situ". The adsorption runs performed at various exposures were followed by thermal desorption. This allowed establishment of a correlation between DeltaR and the uptake of the adsorbate. BET measurements were performed to determine the real area of the thin films and calculate the density of the adsorbate on their surface. It was found that in agreement with Wissmann's equation1 a linear dependence of DeltaR on the density of the adsorbate nads exists within a large interval of the population (nads < or = 1 x 10(15) D adatoms/cm2 on silver and 7 x 10(14) D adatoms/cm2 on gold) available under our experimental conditions. On the basis of this equation the electron scattering cross section Aads induced by adsorption of atomic deuterium on sintered thin silver and gold films was calculated as reaching 4.75 x 10(-16) and 4.46 x 10(-16) cm2, respectively. A small isotope effect in the electron scattering cross section for adsorption of hydrogen on silver was observed: Aads = 5.48 x 10(-16) cm2.     

Growth and organization of an organic molecular monolayer on TiO2: catechol on anatase (101)

Anatase TiO(2) is a widely used photocatalytic material, and catechol (1,2-benzendiol) is a model organic sensitizer for dye-sensitized solar cells. The growth and the organization of a catecholate monolayer on the anatase (101) surface were investigated with scanning tunneling microscopy and density functional theory calculations. Isolated molecules adsorb preferentially at steps. On anatase terraces, monodentate ('D1') and bidentate ('D2') conformations are both present in the dilute limit, and frequent interconversions can take place between these two species. A D1 catechol is mobile at room temperature and can explore the most favorable surface adsorption sites, whereas D2 is essentially immobile. When a D1 molecule arrives in proximity of another adsorbed catechol in an adjacent row, it is energetically convenient for them to pair up in nearest-neighbor positions taking a D2-D2 or D2-D1 configuration. This intermolecular interaction, which is largely substrate mediated, causes the formation of one-dimensional catecholate islands that can change in shape but are stable to break-up. The change between D1 and D2 conformations drives both the dynamics and the energetics of this model system and is possibly of importance in the functionalization of dye-sensitized solar cells.     

Surface-enhanced Raman scattering measurements on silver nanoparticles covered with differently formed platinum films

Gold and silver electromagnetic nanoresonators covered by a thin layer of platinum are often used to study adsorption of various molecules on “model platinum surfaces” with surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) spectroscopy. In this contribution spectra of pyridine adsorbed on films formed from core–shell Ag@Pt and Ag@Ag–Pt nanoparticles and pure Pt or Ag nanoparticles were measured using a confocal Raman microscope. The SERS spectra of pyridine adsorbed on alloy Ag@Ag–Pt nanoparticles could not be obtained as a linear combination of spectra measured on pure Ag and Pt surfaces. In other words, for silver electromagnetic nanoresonators covered by platinum there is no simple correlation between the “quality” of the deposited Pt layer and the relative intensity of SERS bands characteristic for adsorbate interacting with silver. The SERS spectra accumulated from various places of a film formed from Ag@Pt or Ag@Ag–Pt nanoclusters may differ significantly. Using Ag@Pt nanoparticles with practically negligible amount of Ag on the surface (as per the stripping measurement), it is possible to record SERS spectrum in which the contribution characteristic for pyridine adsorbed on the Ag surface is well visible. It means that, even for macroscopic samples of core–shell Ag–Pt nanoparticles, averaging of many spectra measured at various locations of the sample should be carried out to characterize reliably their properties.     

Characterization of the adsorption of Ru-bpy dyes on mesoporous TiO2 films with UV-Vis, Raman, and FTIR spectroscopies

In the present work the adsorption of a new dye, [Ru(dcbpyH(2))(2)(bpy-TPA(2))](PF(6))(2), and the well-known (Bu(4)N)(2)[Ru(dcbpyH)(2)(NCS)(2)] complex on mesoporous anatase films were investigated to clarify the role of the carboxylate groups in the anchoring process of the dyes on the semiconductor surface. For this purpose UV-vis, Raman, resonance Raman, and ATR-FTIR spectroscopies have been used. The results of the Raman experiments at different excitation wavelengths demonstrate that photoinduced charge-transfer processes take place efficiently between the adsorbate and the substrate. Moreover, this is the first time that the Raman spectrum of a Ru-bpy dye (in this case, the dye N719) adsorbed on TiO(2) has been obtained without the resonance condition, only by means of SERS enhancement. The coordination of both complexes on the TiO(2) paste films is proposed to occur via bidentate or bridging linkage.     

Photo-induced transformations in 2,2':5',2'-terthiophene thin films on silver

We report on transient photo-induced structural changes of 2,2':5',2'-terthiophene (3T) adsorbed on silver nanoparticles. Surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) data show that the film thickness predetermines the eventual course of these changes. In particular, for high molecular concentrations (thick adsorbate layers), illumination leads to a photoinduced polymerization of the 3T film. For thin layers ( approximately monolayer coverage), the photoinduced spectral evolution is qualitatively different. We interpret the latter process as a cleavage of the terthiophene molecule, resulting in isolated thiophene units. Calculations of excitation energies for 3T + 3Ag+ and 1T + Ag+ revealed visible transitions, while calculated Raman frequencies indicated 1T as a possible photoproduct. As no photoinduced transformations are observed for 3T in the solid or solution phases, it is likely that the processes reported here originate in surface-enhanced charge-transfer between the Ag-surface and the organic adsorbate.     

IR spectroscopic studies of adsorption of dithiol-containing ligands on CdS nanocrystal films in aqueous solutions

The adsorption of the ligands alpha-lipoic acid, dihydrolipoic acid, and dithiothreitol to films of deposited CdS nanoparticles was studied in situ by ATR-IR spectroscopy. For alpha-lipoic acid and dihydrolipoic acid, the spectra of the adsorbed species closely resemble those of the respective solution species. However, for dithiothreitol, the spectrum of the adsorbed species is significantly different from that of the solution species and is attributed to an interruption of intermolecular hydrogen bonding upon adsorption to the CdS. The S-H stretching absorption of the dihydrolipoic acid solution species at pH=8.6 is observed at 2542 cm(-1). The corresponding absorptions for dithiothreitol occur at 2578 and 2528 cm(-1) and are attributed to monomers and dimers. Adsorption of dihydrolipoic acid and dithiothreitol is found to occur via both thiol functional groups and an additional interaction between the carboxylate and the CdS surface. The adsorption of alpha-lipoic acid to CdS in the presence of light proceeds with photo-oxidation of the CdS surface and reductive cleavage of the disulfide bond of alpha-lipoic acid to produce some adsorbed dihydrolipoic acid and thiosulfate. The adsorption of alpha-lipoic acid to CdS in the absence of visible light shows no photo-oxidation and suggests that adsorption occurs via retention of the disulfide bond. The adsorption isotherm data for dihydrolipoic acid and dithiothreitol gave good fits to the Langmuir isotherm, with adsorption constants higher than those for monothiol-containing ligands on CdS. The Langmuir adsorption constant for n-octanoic acid on CdS indicates that the additional interaction between the carboxylate group of dihydrolipoic acid and the CdS is weak in comparison with the dithiol interaction with CdS.     

Adsorption kinetics, orientation, and self-assembling of N-acetyl-L-cysteine on gold: a combined ATR-IR, PM-IRRAS, and QCM study

The adsorption of N-acetyl-L-cysteine from ethanol solution on gold has been studied by in situ attenuated total reflection infrared (ATR-IR) spectroscopy, polarization modulation infrared reflection absorption spectroscopy, and a quartz crystal microbalance. After an initial fast adsorption, in situ ATR-IR revealed two considerably slower processes, besides further adsorption. The appearance of carboxylate bands and the partial disappearance of the carboxylic acid bands demonstrated that part of the molecules on the surface underwent deprotonation. In addition, the C=O stretching vibration of the carboxylic acid group shifted to lower and the amide II band to higher wavenumbers, indicating hydrogen-bonding interactions within the adsorbate layer. Based on the initial ATR-IR spectrum, which did not reveal deprotonation, the orientation of the molecule within the adsorbate layer was determined. For this, density functional theory was used to calculate the transition dipole moment vectors of the vibrational modes of N-acetyl-l-cysteine. The projections of the latter onto the z-axis of the fixed surface coordinate system were used to determine relative band intensities for different orientations of the molecule. The analysis revealed that the amide group is tilted with respect to and points away from the surface, whereas the carboxylic acid is in proximity to the surface, which is also supported by a shift of the C-O-H bending mode. This position of the acid group favors its deprotonation assisted by the gold surface and easily enables intermolecular interactions. Periodic acid stimuli revealed reversible protonation/deprotonation of part of the adsorbed molecules. However, only non-hydrogen-bonded carboxylic acid groups showed a response toward the acid stimuli.     

Effect of surface fluorination on the electrochemical and photoelectrocatalytic properties of nanoporous titanium dioxide electrodes

Titanium dioxide is a widely used photocatalyst whose properties can be modified by fluoride adsorption. This work is focused on the effect of surface fluorination on the electrochemical and photoelectrocatalytic properties of TiO(2) nanoporous thin films. Surface fluorination was achieved by simple addition of HF to the working solution (pH 3.5). Open circuit potential as well as ex situ XPS measurements verify that surface modification takes place. Fluorination triggers a significant capacitance increase in the accumulation potential region, as revealed by dark voltammetric measurements for all the TiO(2) samples studied. The photoelectrocatalytic properties (measured as photocurrents under white light illumination) depend on the substrate being oxidized and, in some cases, on the nature of the TiO(2) sample. In particular, the results obtained for electrodes prepared with a mixed phase (rutile + anatase) commercial nanopowder (PI-KEM) indicate that the processes mediated by surface trapped holes, such as the photooxidation of water or methanol, are accelerated while those occurring by direct hole capture from the adsorbed state (formic acid) are retarded. The photooxidation of catechol and phenol is also enhanced upon fluorination. In such a case, the effect can be rationalized on the basis of a diminished recombination and a surface displacement of both the oxidizable organic substrates and the poisoning species formed as a result of the organics oxidation. Photoelectrochemical and in situ infrared spectroscopic measurements support these ideas. In a more general vein, the results pave the way toward a better understanding of the photocatalysis phenomena, unravelling the importance of the reactant adsorption processes.     

Attenuated total reflection infrared studies of oleate and trioctylphosphine oxide ligand adsorption and exchange reactions on CdS quantum dot films

Ligand exchange reactions at the surface of oleate- and trioctylphosphine oxide (TOPO)-capped CdS quantum dots have been studied with attenuated total reflection infrared (ATR-IR) spectroscopy, using thin films deposited from organic solvent suspensions. The oleate and trioctylphosphine capping ligands were found to form highly ordered and densely packed monolayers on the CdS surface. Adsorbed oleate is coordinated to CdS in a chelating bidentate manner through the carboxylate functional group, while adsorbed trioctylphosphine oxide is coordinated though the P=O functional group and appears to have numerous adsorption environments on the CdS surface. Exposure of such films to aqueous solution was found to cause partial delamination of the films from the ATR prism interface which was reversible upon redrying. Ligand exchange reactions on the oleate- and trioctylphosphine-capped CdS films were studied in situ at room temperature by allowing the films to be exposed to dilute aqueous solutions of thiol-containing ligands. Oleate and trioctylphosphine oxide are both strongly adsorbed to the CdS surface, and ligand exchange with monothiol-containing ligands has been found to be highly dependent upon experimental conditions, in particular pH, where exchange is only observed at solution pH where the exchanging ligand is uncharged. This is attributed to the inability of a charged ligand to penetrate the hydrophobic polymethylene layer on the CdS surface.     

Adsorption Behaviors of 4-Mercaptobenzoic Acid on Silver and Gold Films

The adsorption behaviors of 4-mercaptobenzoic acid on silver and gold nanoparticles were studied by surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) and density functional theory. The silver and gold films by electrodeposition have the same excellent characteristics as SERS-active substrates. At the same, the SERS spectra indicate that 4-mercaptobenzoic acid molecules are adsorbed on the surfaces of gold nanoparticles through the S atom, and that the carboxyl group is far away from surface of gold nanoparticles, and that there is a certain angle between the plane of benzene ring and gold film. However, 4-mercaptobenzoic acid molecules are adsorbed on the surfaces of silver nanoparticles through the carboxyl group, and the S atom is far away from surface of silver nanoparticles, and there is also a certain angle between the plane of benzene ring and the surface of silver nanoparticles. Here it is demonstrated the calculated Raman frequencies are in good agreement with experimental values, and the calculated Raman frequencies are also helpful to infer the adsorption behaviors of 4-mercaptobenzoic acid molecules.     

In situ studies of butyronitrile adsorption and hydrogenation on Pt/Al2O3 using attenuated total reflection infrared spectroscopy

The adsorption and hydrogenation of butyronitrile (BN) in hexane on a 5% Pt/Al2O3 catalyst has been studied using in situ attenuated total reflection infrared (ATR-IR) spectroscopy. ATR-IR measurements were conducted on thin ( approximately 10 mum) films of catalyst deposited on Ge wave guides. Multivariate analysis involving classical lease-squares (CLS) and partial least-squares (PLS) modeling was used to aid in the interpretation of the spectroscopic data. During the adsorption of BN over a concentration range from 4 to 40 mM in hexane, no clear evidence for adsorbed N-bound end-on species could be detected. However, a feature at approximately 1635-1640 cm-1 indicated the presence of an adsorbed imine species, with the C=N group existing in a tilted configuration involving a strong degree of pi interaction with the surface. This assignment is bolstered by the detection of N-H stretching bands that are consistent with imine vibrations. This imine-type intermediate is very prominent and shows transient behavior in the presence of solution-phase hydrogen, suggesting that, once formed, it can be converted into amine products that adsorb on the catalyst surface. Evidence for amine formation was observed in the form of N-H stretching and NH2 bending vibrations, with assignments confirmed through comparison studies of butylamine adsorption under identical conditions. Comparisons between Pt/Al2O3 and Al2O3 suggest that there may be some adsorption of these amines on the support surface. The mechanistic implications with regard to heterogeneous nitrile hydrogenation on transition metals under mild conditions are briefly discussed in light of these findings.     

Multivariate analysis of ATR-IR spectroscopic data: applications to the solid-liquid catalytic interface

It is demonstrated that attenuated total reflection infrared (ATR-IR) spectroscopy coupled with multivariate data analysis can be effectively used for in situ investigation of supported catalyst-liquid interfaces. Both formaldehyde adsorption/dissociation in water and acetonitrile adsorption in hexane on thin (ca 10 mum) films of 5 wt % Pt/gamma-Al(2)O(3) deposited on a germanium waveguide have been investigated. The multivariate analysis applies classical least squares (CLS) and partial least squares (PLS) methods to the ATR-IR data in order to correlate spectral changes with known sources of experimental variation (i.e., time, concentration of solution species, etc.). The formaldehyde adsorption experiments revealed no spectroscopic evidence for adsorbed molecular formaldehyde under the conditions examined. However, the dissociation product carbon monoxide was observed to form in atop configuration on Pt, likely on edges and terrace sites. Isotope labeling experiments suggest that a pair of peaks observed at 1990 and 2060 cm(-)(1) during treatments of Pt in H(2)-saturated water arise at least in part from nu(Pt)(-)(H) stretching of adsorbed atomic hydrogen. Acetonitrile was found to adsorb on the Pt catalyst by sigma-bonding of the CN group with the platinum, yielding apparent surface peaks that are almost identical to that observed in the liquid phase. A peak at 1641 cm(-)(1) was observed which was assigned to the adsorption of the CN group in a tilted configuration involving a combination of end-on and pi interaction with the surface. This species was found to be reactive toward hydrogen, suggesting that it might play a role in nitrile hydrogenation. The prospects of using this approach to examine solid-catalyzed liquid-phase reactions are discussed in light of these findings.     

Cinchonidine adsorption on gold and gold-containing bimetallic platinum metal surfaces: an attenuated total reflection infrared and density functional theory study

Adsorption of cinchonidine on monometallic Au and bimetallic Pt-Au and Pd-Au thin model films prepared by physical vapor deposition has been investigated with attenuated total reflection infrared (ATR-IR) spectroscopy. On Au the alkaloid forms an adsorbed layer that shows higher stability against desorption than the corresponding adsorption on Pt. In this adsorption layer the intermolecular interactions dominate over metal-adsorbate interactions as indicated by the absence of the spectroscopic features attributed to strongly flat adsorbed species. This behavior is further supported by Density Functional Theory (DFT) calculations indicating that flat and tilted orientations of the quinoline ring have comparable adsorption energy on Au but lower (7-10 kcal/mol) compared to adsorption on Pt (ca. 40 kcal/mol). As a consequence, the creation of a metal surface with isolated chiral sites is prevented by formation of an adsorbed structure formed by intermolecularly bound cinchonidine molecules on Au. While the binding to Pt is due to the formation of sigma-bonds to surface atoms, such aggregates are bound to Au mainly by van der Waals forces. Given this different nature of bonding of cinchonidine to Au and Pt, addition of Au to Pt and Pd films could be used to probe the changes of fractional coverage of the different adsorbed species of cinchonidine on the platinum metals. It is demonstrated that the lowering of the domain size of the platinum group metal by Au can simulate the effect of particle size on the distribution of the surface conformations of the alkaloid on a metal surface.     

TiO2 nanotube, nanowire, and rhomboid-shaped particle thin films fixed on a titanium metal plate

Titanium dioxide thin films having various nanostructures could be formed by various treatments on sodium titanate nanotube thin films approximately 5 μm thick fixed on titanium metal plates. Using an aqueous solution with a lower hydrochloric acid concentration (0.01 mol/L) and a higher reaction temperature (90 °C) than those previously employed, we obtained a hydrogen titanate nanotube thin film fixed onto a titanium metal plate by H⁺ ion-exchange treatment of the sodium titanate nanotube thin film. Calcination of hydrogen titanate nanotube thin films yielded porous thin films consisting of anatase nanotubes, anatase nanowires, and anatase nanoparticles grown directly from the titanium metal plate. H⁺ ion-exchange treatment of sodium titanate nanotube thin films at 140 °C resulted in porous thin films consisting of rhomboid-shaped anatase nanoparticles.     

Electrochemical study on the adsorption of carbon oxides and oxidation of their adsorption products on platinum group metals and alloys

CO(2) reduction and CO adsorption on noble metals (Pt, Rh, Pd) and their alloys (Pt-Rh, Pd-Pt, Pd-Rh, Pd-Pt-Rh) prepared as thin rough deposits have been studied by chronoamperometry (CA), cyclic voltammetry (CV) and the electrochemical quartz crystal microbalance (EQCM). The influence of alloy surface composition on the values of surface coverage, eps (electron per site) and potential of the oxidation of CO(2) reduction and CO adsorption products is shown. The oxidation of the adsorbate on Pt-Rh alloys proceeds more easily (at lower potentials) than on pure metals. On the other hand, in the case of Pd-Pt and Pd-Rh alloys the adsorbate oxidation is more difficult and requires higher potentials than on Pt or Rh. The analysis of the EQCM signal is presented for the case of adsorption and oxidation of carbon oxide adsorption products on the electrodes studied. The comparison of adsorption parameters and the EQCM response obtained for platinum group metals and alloys leads to the conclusion that reduced CO(2) cannot be totally identified with adsorbed CO.     

HCl adsorption and ionization on amorphous and crystalline H2O films below 50 K

Molecular beams were used to grow amorphous and crystalline H(2)O films and to dose HCl upon their surface. The adsorption state of HCl on the ice films was probed with infrared spectroscopy. A Zundel continuum is clearly observed for exposures up to the saturation HCl coverage on ice upon which features centered near 2530, 2120, 1760, and 1220 cm(-1) are superimposed. The band centered near 2530 cm(-1) is observed only when the HCl adlayer is in direct contact with amorphous solid water or crystalline ice films at temperatures as low as 20 K. The spectral signature of solid HCl (amorphous or crystalline) was identified only after saturation of the adsorption sites in the first layer or when HCl was deposited onto a rare gas spacer layer between the HCl and ice film. These observations strongly support conclusions from recent electron spectroscopy work that reported ionic dissociation of the first layer HCl adsorbed onto the ice surface is spontaneous.