Comparative investigation of underpotential deposition of Ag from aqueous and ionic electrolytes: An electrochemical and in situ STM study

Underpotential deposition (UPD) of Ag on Au(111) has been studied with two different electrolytes: aqueous 0.1 M H2SO4 solution in comparison with the ionic liquid 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride BMICl + AlCl3. Of particular interest is the distinct behavior of 2D phase formation at both interfaces, which has been investigated by cyclic and linear sweep voltammetry in combination with in situ electrochemical scanning tunneling microscopy (STM). It is found that one monolayer (ML) of Ag is formed in the UPD region in both electrolytes. In aqueous solution, atomically resolved STM images at 500 mV versus Ag/Ag+ show a (3 x 3) adlayer of Ag, whereas after sweeping the potential just before the commencement of the bulk Ag deposition, a transition from expanded (3 x 3) to pseudomorphic ML of Ag on Au(111) occurs. In BMICl-AlCl3, the first UPD process of Ag exhibits two peaks at 410 and 230 mV indicating that two distinct processes on the surface take place. For the first time, STM images with atomic resolution reveal a transition from an inhomogeneous to an ordered phase with a (square root of 3 x square root of 3)R30 degrees structure and an adsorption of AlCl4- anions having a superlattice of (1.65 x square root of 3)R30 degrees preceding the deposition of Ag.     

Electrodeposition of Au monolayer on Pt(111) mediated by self-assembled monolayers

In-situ scanning tunneling microscopy (STM), cyclic voltammetry (CV), and infrared reflection-adsorption spectroscopy (IRRAS) have been used to examine the electrodeposition of gold onto Pt(111) electrodes modified with benzenethiol (BT) and benzene-1,2-dithiol (BDT) in 0.1 M HClO4 containing 10 microM HAuCl4. Both BT and BDT were attached to Pt(111) via one sulfur headgroup. STM and IRRAS results indicated that the other SH group of BDT was pendant in the electrolyte. Both BT and BDT formed (2 x 2) structures at the coverage of 0.25, and they were transformed into (square root(3) x square root(3))R30 degrees as the coverage was raised to 0.33. These two organic surface modifiers resulted in 3D and 2D gold islands at BT- and BDT-coated Pt(111) electrodes, respectively. The pendant SH group of BDT could interact specifically with gold adspecies to immobilize gold adatoms on the Pt(111) substrate, which yields a 2D growth of gold deposition. Molecular resolution STM revealed an ordered array of (6 x 2 square root(13)) after a full monolayer of gold was plated on the BDT/Pt(111) electrode. Since BDT was strongly adsorbed on Pt(111), gold adatoms only occupied free sites between BDT admolecules on Pt(111). This is supported by a stripping voltammetric analysis, which reveals no reductive desorption of BDT admolecules at a gold-deposited BDT/Pt(111) electrode. It seems that the BDT adlayer acted as the template for gold deposit on Pt(111). In contrast, a BT adlayer yielded 3D gold deposit on Pt(111). This study demonstrates unambiguously that organic surface modifiers could contribute greatly to the electrodeposition of metal adatoms.     

Elucidation of the deposition processes and spatial structures of alkanethiol and arylthiol molecules adsorbed on Pt111 electrodes with in situ scanning tunneling microscopy

In situ scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) was used to examine the spatial structures of n-alkane thiols (1-hexanethiol, 1-nonanethiol, and 1-octahexanethiol) and arylthiols (benzenethiol and 4-hydroxybenzenethiol) adsorbed on well-ordered Pt111 electrodes in 0.1 M HClO4. The electrochemical potential and molecular flux were found to be the dominant factors in determining the growth mechanisms, final coverages, and spatial structures of these organic adlayers. Depending on the concentrations of the thiols, deposition of self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) followed either the nucleation-and-growth mechanism or the random fill-in mechanism. Low and high thiol concentrations respectively produced two ordered structures, (2 x 2) and (square root of 3 x square root of 3)R30 degrees , between 0.05 and 0.3 V. On average, an ordered domain spanned 500 A when the SAMs were made at 0.15 V, but this dimension shrank substantially once the potential was raised above 0.3 V. This potential-induced order-to-disorder phase transition resulted from a continuous deposition of thiols, preferentially at domain boundaries of (square root of 3 x square root of 3 x )R30 degrees arrays. All molecular adlayers were completely disordered by 0.6 V, and this restructuring event was irreversible with potential modulation. Since all thiols were arranged in a manner similar to that adopted by sulfur adatoms (Sung et al. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 1997, 119, 194), it is likely that they were adsorbed mainly through their sulfur headgroups in a tilted configuration, irrespective of the coverage. Both the sulfur and phenyl groups of benzenethiol admolecules gave rise to features with different corrugation heights in the molecular-resolution STM images. All thiols were adsorbed strongly enough that they remained intact at a potential as negative as -1.0 V in 0.1 M KOH.     

Electrodeposition of copper on a Pt(111) electrode in sulfuric acid containing poly(ethylene glycol) and chloride ions as probed by in situ STM

This study employed real-time in situ STM imaging to examine the adsorption of PEG molecules on Pt(111) modified by a monolayer of copper adatoms and the subsequent bulk Cu deposition in 1 M H(2)SO(4) + 1 mM CuSO(4)+ 1 mM KCl + 88 μM PEG. At the end of Cu underpotential deposition (~0.35 V vs Ag/AgCl), a highly ordered Pt(111)-(√3 × √7)-Cu + HSO(4)(-) structure was observed in 1 M H(2)SO(4) + 1 mM CuSO(4). This adlattice restructured upon the introduction of poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG, molecular weight 200) and chloride anions. At the onset potential for bulk Cu deposition (~0 V), a Pt(111)-(√3 × √3)R30°-Cu + Cl(-) structure was imaged with a tunneling current of 0.5 nA and a bias voltage of 100 mV. Lowering the tunneling current to 0.2 nA yielded a (4 × 4) structure, presumably because of adsorbed PEG200 molecules. The subsequent nucleation and deposition processes of Cu in solution containing PEG and Cl(-) were examined, revealing the nucleation of 2- to 3-nm-wide CuCl clusters on an atomically smooth Pt(111) surface at overpotentials of less than 50 mV. With larger overpotential (η > 150 mV), Cu deposition seemed to bypass the production of CuCl species, leading to layered Cu deposition, starting preferentially at step defects, followed by lateral growth to cover the entire Pt electrode surface. These processes were observed with both PEG200 and 4000, although the former tended to produce more CuCl nanoclusters. Raising [H(2)SO(4)] to 1 M substantiates the suppressing effect of PEG on Cu deposition. This STM study provided atomic- or molecular-level insight into the effect of PEG additives on the deposition of Cu.     

Electrostatically controlled nanostructure of cationic porphyrin diacid on sulfate/bisulfate adlayer at electrochemical interface

Two different cationic tetraphenyl porphyrins, one with two carboxyphenyl groups in cis-position and the other in trans-position (cis- and trans-H(4)DCPP(2+)), have been examined to control the structure of their 2D supramolecular assemblies in 0.05 M H(2)SO(4) at electrochemical interfaces. Electrochemical scanning tunneling microscopy (EC-STM) images revealed the formation of supramolecularly organized nanostructures of cis-H(4)DCPP(2+) such as dimer, trimer, and tetramer on the (square root(3) x square root(7)) sulfate/bisulfate adlayer, suggesting the importance of both electrostatic interaction between cationic porphyrin core and sulfate/bisulfate adlayer and the hydrogen bond formation between carboxyl groups of the nearest neighbor cationic porphyrins. Trans-H(4)DCPP(4+) ions were also found to be aligned in the square root(3) direction of the sulfate/bisulfate adlayer. The structure of these cationic porphyrin adlayers was found to depend upon the electrode potential; i.e., when the potential was changed in the negative direction, the (square root(3) x square root(7)) sulfate/bisulfate adlayer disappeared, and no ordered arrays were formed. In contrast, when 0.1 M HClO(4) was used as an electrolyte solution, only a disordered array was observed. The results of the present study indicate that the (square root(3) x square root(7)) sulfate/bisulfate adlayer formed on Au(111) in 0.05 M H(2)SO(4) plays a significant role as a nanorail template in the control of electrostatically assembled diacid porphyrin dicarboxylic acid derivative. In addition, the high-resolution STM clearly distinguished between cis-H(4)DCPP(2+) ion and cis-H(2)DCPP molecule. The cis-H(2)DCPP molecules on Au(111) provided an adlayer structure and an electrochemical behavior which are different from those of cis-H(4)DCPP(2+) ions.     

Structure and electrochemistry of 4,4'-dithiodipyridine self-assembled monolayers in comparison with 4-mercaptopyridine self-assembled monolayers on Au(111)

4,4'-Dithiodipyridine (PySSPy) monolayers on Au(111) were investigated by cyclic voltammetry, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and in situ scanning tunneling microscopy (STM). The studies were performed in solutions of different anions and pHs (0.1 M H2SO4, 0.1 M HClO4, 0.1 and 0.01 M Na2SO4, 0.1 and 0.01 M NaOH). The cyclic current-potential curves in H2SO4 show current peaks at about 0.4 V, which are absent for all other electrolytes at this potential. The XPS data suggest that PySSPy adsorbs via the S endgroup on the gold surface and the S-S bond breaks during adsorption. From the chemical shift of the N(ls) peak, it is concluded that in acidic media the self-assembled monolayer (SAM) is fully protonated, whereas in basic solution it is not. The pKa is estimated to be 5.3. STM studies reveal the existence of highly ordered superstructures for the SAM. In Na2SO4 and H2SO4, a (7 x mean square root of 3) structure is proposed. However, whereas in Na2SO4 solutions the superstructure does not change with potential, in 0.1 M H2SO4 the superstructure is observed only negative of the current peak at +0.4 V. At more positive potentials, the film becomes disordered. The results are compared to those for 4-mercaptopyridine (PyS) SAMs. XPS experiments and current-potential curves indicate that both molecules adsorb in the same manner on Au(111), that is, even in the case of PySSPy the adspecies is PyS. The STM results, however, call for a more subtle interpretation. While in Na2SO4 solutions the observed superstructures are the same for both SAMs, markedly different structures are found for PySSPy and PyS SAMs in 0.1 M H2SO4.     

Scanning tunneling microscopy of sulfur and benzenethiol chemisorbed on Ru(0001) in 0.1 M HClO4

In situ scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) combined with linear sweep voltammetry was used to examine spatial structures of sulfur adatoms (SA) and benzenethiol (BT) molecules adsorbed on an ordered Ru(0001) electrode in 0.1 M HClO4. The Ru(0001) surface, prepared by mechanical polishing and electrochemical reduction at -1.5 V (vs RHE) in 0.1 M HClO4, contained atomically flat terraces with an average width of 20 nm. Cyclic voltammograms obtained with an as-prepared Ru(0001) electrode in 0.1 M HClO4 showed characteristics nearly identical to those of Ru(0001) treated in high vacuum. High-quality STM images were obtained for SA and BT to determine their spatial structures as a function of potential. The structure of the SA adlayer changed from (2 x mean square root of 3)rect to domain walls to (mean square root of 7 x mean square root of 7)R19.1 degrees and then to disordered as the potential was scanned from 0.3 to 0.6 V. In contrast, molecules of BT were arranged in (2 x mean square root of 3)rect between 0.1 and 0.4 V, while they were disordered at all other potentials. Adsorption of BT molecules was predominantly through the sulfur headgroup. Sulfur adatoms and adsorbed BT molecules were stable against anodic polarization up to 1.0 V (vs RHE). These two species were adsorbed so strongly that their desorption did not occur even at the onset potential for the reduction of water in 0.1 M KOH.     

In situ scanning tunneling microscopy of 1,6-hexanedithiol, 1,9-nonanedithiol, 1,2-benzenedithiol, and 1,3-benzenedithiol adsorbed on pt(111) electrodes

Cyclic voltammetry (CV) and in situ scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) were used to examine four dithiol molecules, including 1,6-hexanedithiol, 1,9-nonanedithiol, 1,2-benzenedithiol, and 1,3-benzenedithiol, adsorbed on well-ordered Pt(111) electrodes in 0.1 M HClO(4). The open-circuit potential (OCP) of Pt(111) electrodes decreased substantially from 0.95 to 0.3 V (versus reversible hydrogen electrode) upon the adsorption of dithol molecules, which indicates that these adsorbates injected electrons into the Pt electrode. For all dithiol molecules, ordered adlattices of p(2 x 2) and (square root 3 x square root 3)R30 degrees were formed when the dosing concentration was lower than 150 microM and the potential of Pt(111) was more negative than 0.5 V. Raising the potential of Pt(111) from 0.1 to 0.4 V or more positive values could transform p(2 x 2) to (square root 3 x square root 3)R30 degrees before it turned disarray. The insensitivity of the structure of dithiol adlayers with their chemical structures was explained by upright molecular orientation with the formation of one Pt-S bond per dithiol molecule. This molecular orientation was independent of the coverage of dithiol molecules, as nucleation seeds produced at the beginning of adsorption were also constructed with p(2 x 2). The triangular-shaped STM molecular resolution suggested 3-fold binding of sulfur headgroup on Pt(111). All dithiols were adsorbed so strongly on Pt(111) electrodes that switching the potential negatively to the onset of hydrogen evolution in 0.1 M HClO(4) or water reduction in 1 M KOH could not displace dithiol admolecules.     

Self-assembled monolayers on Pt(111): molecular packing structure and strain effects observed by scanning tunneling microscopy

Self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) of octanethiol and benzeneethanethiol were deposited on clean Pt(111) surfaces in ultrahigh vacuum (UHV). Highly resolved images of these SAMs produced by an in situ scanning tunneling microscope (STM) showed that both systems organize into a super-structure mosaic of domains of locally ordered, closely packed molecules. Analysis of the STM images indicated a (square root 3 x square root 3)R30 degrees unit cell for the octanethiol SAMs and a 4(square root 3 x square root 3)R30 degrees periodicity based on 2 x 2 basic molecular packing for the benzeneethanethiol SAMs under the coverage conditions investigated. SAMs on Pt(111) exhibited differences in molecular packing and a lower density of disordered regions than SAMs on Au(111). Electron transport measurements were performed using scanning tunneling spectroscopy. Benzeneethanethiol/Pt(111) junctions exhibited a higher conductance than octanethiol/Pt(111) junctions.     

Self-assembled monolayers of 4-mercaptopyridine on Au(111): a potential-induced phase transition in sulfuric acid solutions

In situ scanning tunneling microscopy images of self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) of 4-mercaptopyridine (4-MPy) on Au(111) recorded in neat 0.1 M H2SO4 solutions provided evidence for a potential-induced phase transition over the range 0.40-0.15 V versus saturated calomel electrode. Analysis of the data was consistent with the presence of a (5 x square root(3)) and (10 x square root(3)) superstructure (phase A) at the positive end, that is, 0.40 V, for which the local coverage, theta(loc), is about 0.2 (two 4-MPy molecules per unit cell), which compresses at the negative end, that is, 0.15 V, to yield a much denser superstructure (phase B, theta(loc) ca. 0.5). This behavior is unlike that reported for the 4-MPy-Au(111) SAM prepared by identical means, in 0.1 M HClO4 (or in sulfate solutions of a much higher pH) for which only the (5 x square root(3)) superstructure was observed over the same potential range. The compression associated with the phase A to phase B transition is attributed to the formation of a hydrogen-bonded network of bisulfate coordinated in turn to the 4-MPy layer via the acidic hydrogens of the pyridinium moieties. Such conditions promote better packing of adsorbed 4-MPy species, which are aided by intermolecular pi-pi ring interactions, resulting in higher local coverages.     

A new phase of the c(4 x 2) superstructure of alkanethiols grown by vapor phase deposition on gold

A self-assembled monolayer of dodecanethiol is grown onto (111) oriented gold by vacuum phase deposition and studied by ultrahigh vacuum scanning tunneling microscopy (STM). The films consist of domains that exhibit the c(4 x 2) over-structure of the hexagonal (square root of 3 x square root of 3)R30 of alkanethiols on gold. The domain size is only limited by the terrace size of the underlying gold. By higher resolution scans a new phase of the c(4 x 2) structure consisting of four inequivalent molecules that display different heights in the STM images is discovered.     

Surface reorganization accompanying the formation of sulfite and sulfate by reaction of sulfur dioxide with oxygen on Ag111

On the Ag(111)-p(4x4)-O surface SO2(g) reacts with oxygen according to SO2(g)+O(a)-->SO3(a). Sulfite forms in a (2 radical3x2 radical3)R30 degrees structure. The restructuring of the surface atoms during sulfite formation is indicative of the deconstruction of the p(4x4)-O structure. Heating the sulfite-covered surface to 700 K affects the disproportionation of SO3 to SO4 in a (4 square root of 3 x square root of 3)R30 degrees structure accompanied by the desorption of SO2(g) and smoothing of the surface. Continued heating beyond 700 K affects the complete decomposition of sulfate to SO2(g) and O2(g).     

Cadmium underpotential deposition on Cu(111) in situ scanning tunneling microscopy

Atomically resolved in situ STM images are presented for an underpotentially deposited (upd) cadmium layer on a Cu(111) electrode from a 10(-4) M CdCl2/10(-2) M HCl solution. The observed moiré-like structure seen in the images is analysed by means of an algebraic model for this long-range superstructure. A structure model for the upd layer is developed which reflects all features of the observed moiré pattern. Furthermore the height modulation was simulated by a hard-sphere model for the Cd overlayer and shows remarkable agreement with the detailed tunneling current density distribution of the measured STM images. The existence of translational and rotational domains is demonstrated. The results are also compared and shown to be fully consistent with previous (ex situ) low-energy electron diffraction (LEED) observations of this system. The mechanism of Cd upd involves a dynamic site exchange between preadsorbed Cl- anions and adsorbing Cd2+ cations as previously concluded from ex situ X-ray photoelectron (XPS) and low-energy ion scattering (LEIS) measurements.     

Electrocatalytic oxidation of formic acid and methanol on Pt deposits on Au(111)

This work presents characteristics of Pt deposits on Au(111) obtained by the use of spontaneous deposition and investigated by electrochemical scanning tunneling microscopy (EC-STM). On such prepared and STM characterized Au(111)/Pt surfaces, we studied electrocatalytic oxidation of formic acid and methanol. We show that the first monatomic layer of Pt displays a (square root 3 x square root 3)R30 degrees surface structure, while the second layer is (1 x 1). After prolonged deposition, multilayer Pt deposits are formed selectively on Au(111) surface steps and are 1-20 nm wide and one to five layers thick. On the optimized Au(111)/Pt surface, formic acid oxidation rates are enhanced by a factor of 20 compared to those of pure Pt(111). The (square root 3 x square root 3)R30 degrees-Pt yields very low methanol oxidation rates, but the rates increase significantly with further Pt growth.     

Adlayers of C60-C60 and C60-C70 fullerene dimers formed on au(111) in benzene solutions studied by STM and LEED

Scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) and low-energy electron diffraction were used to reveal the structures of ordered adlayers of [2+2]-type C60-C60 fullerene dimer (C120) and C60-C70 cross-dimer (C130) formed on Au(111) by immersingit in abenzene solution containing C120 or C130 molecules. High-resolution STM images clearly showed the packing arrangements and the electronic structures of C120 and C130 on the Au(111) surface in ultrahigh vacuum. The (2 square root3 x 4square root3)R30 degrees, (2square root3 x 5square root3)R30 degrees, and (7 x 7) structures were found for the C120 adlayer on the Au(111) surface, whereas C130 molecules were closely packed on the surface. Each C60 or C70 monomer cage was discerned in the STM image of a C130 molecule.     

CO oxidation on Pt-modified Rh(111) electrodes.

The CO electro-oxidation reaction was studied on platinum-modified Rh(111) electrodes in 0.5 M H2SO4 using cyclic voltammetry and chronoamperometry. The Pt-Rh(111) electrodes were generated during voltammetric cycles at 50 mV s(-1) in a 30 microM H2PtCl6 and 0.5 M H2SO4 solution. Surfaces generated by n deposition cycles were investigated (Ptn-Rh(111) with n=2, 4, 6, 8, 10, and 16). The blank cyclic voltammograms of these surfaces are characterized by a pronounced sharpening of the hydrogen/(bi)sulfate adsorption/desorption peaks, typical for Rh(111), and the appearance of contributions between 0.1 and 0.4 V, which were ascribed to hydrogen/(bi)sulfate adsorption/desorption on the deposited platinum. At higher potentials, the surface oxidation of Rh(111) is enhanced by the presence of platinum. The structure of the Pt-modified electrodes was investigated by STM imaging. At low Pt coverages (Pt2-Rh(111)), monoatomically high islands are formed, which grow three dimensionally as the number of deposition cycles increases. After eight cycles, the monolayer islands have grown in diameter and range from mono- to multiatomic height. At even higher Pt coverage (Pt16-Rh(111)), the islands grow to particles of approx. 10 nm in diameter, which are 5-6 atoms high. The CO stripping voltammetry on these surfaces is characterized by two peaks: A low-potential, structure-insensitive peak, ascribed to CO reacting at the platinum monolayer islands, whose onset is shifted 150, 250, and 100 mV negatively with respect to pure Rh(111), Pt(111), and polycrystalline Pt, respectively, indicating the enhanced CO electro-oxidation properties of the Pt overlayer system. A peak at higher potentials displays strong structure sensitivity (particle-size effect) and was ascribed to CO reacting on the islands of multiatomic height. Current-time transients recorded on the surface with the highest amount of monolayer islands (Pt4-Rh(111)) also indicate enhanced CO-oxidation kinetics. Comparison of the Pt4-Rh(111) current-time transients recorded at 0.635, 0.675, and 0.750 V versus RHE (reversible hydrogen electrode) with those of pure Rh(111) and Pt(111) shows greatly reduced reaction times. A Cottrellian decay at long times indicates surface-diffusion-limited CO oxidation on the bare Rh(111) surface, while the peak visible at short times is indicative of CO reacting at the monolayer platinum islands. The results presented here show that, as indicated by density functional theory (DFT) calculations, the CO-adlayer oxidation for this system is enhanced compared to both pure Rh and Pt.     

Combined STM and FTIR characterization of terphenylalkanethiol monolayers on Au(111): effect of alkyl chain length and deposition temperature

Self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) of 4,4'-terphenyl-substituted alkanethiols C6H5(C6H4)2(CH2)n-SH (TPn, n = 1-6) on Au (111) substrates were studied using scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) and infrared reflection absorption spectroscopy (IRRAS). When the SAMs were prepared at room temperature (RT, 298 K), TPn films (except TP2) exhibit an odd-even effect regarding both molecular orientation and packing density. For all investigated films, STM data reveals the presence of a large degree of lateral order. In the case of odd-numbered TPns, the films revealed a (2 square root(3) x square root(3))R30 degree molecular arrangement. For the even-numbered TP4 and TP6 SAMs, a c(5 square root(3) x 3) rectangular unit cell was found. The packing density for the even-numbered TPn SAMs is 25% lower than that for the odd-numbered TPn SAMs. When the SAMs were prepared at 333 K, the even-numbered SAMs were found to form structures with a significantly lower packing density. In the case of TP2, instead of the (2 square root(3) x square root(3))R30 degree structure formed at room temperature, a c(5 square root(3) x 3) structure was observed. For TP6 SAMs, the room-temperature c(5 square root(3) x 3) structure was replaced by a (6 square root(3) x 2 square root(3))R30 degree structure.     

Hydration processes of electrolyte anions and cations on pt(111), Ir(111), Ru(001) and Au(111) surfaces: coadsorption of water molecules with electrolyte ions

Water adsorption on Pt( 111) and Ru(001) treated with oxygen, hydrogen chloride and sodium atom at 20 K has been studied by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning tunneling microscopy and surface X-ray diffraction. Water molecules chemisorb predominantly on the sites of the electronegative additives, forming hydrogen bonds. Three types of hydration water molecules coordinate to an adsorbed Na atom through an oxygen lone pair. In contrast, water molecules adsorb on electrode surfaces in a simple way in solution. In 1 mM CuSO4 + 0.5 M H2SO4 solution on an Au(111) electrode surface, water molecules coadsorb not only with sulfuric acid anions through hydrogen bonding but also with copper, over wide potential ranges. In the first stage of underpotential deposition (UPD), each anion is accommodated by six copper hexagon (honeycomb) atoms on which water molecules dominate. At any UPD stage water molecules interact with both the copper atom and sulfuric acid anions on the Au(111) surface. Water molecules also coadsorb with CO molecules on the surface of 2 x 2-2CO-Ru(001). All of the hydration water molecules chemisorb weakly on the surfaces. There appears to be a correlation between the orientation of hydrogen bonding water molecules and the electrode potential.     

First principles study of sulfuric acid anion adsorption on a Pt(111) electrode

A first principles theory combined with a continuum electrolyte theory is applied to adsorption of sulfuric acid anions on Pt(111) in 0.1 M H(2)SO(4) solution. The theoretical free energy diagram indicates that sulfuric acid anions adsorb as bisulfate in the potential range of 0.41 < U ≤ 0.48 V (RHE) and as sulfate in 0.48 V (RHE) < U. This diagram also indicates that sulfate inhibits formations of surface oxide and hydroxide. Charge analysis shows that the total charge transferred for the formation of the full coverage sulfate adlayer is 90 μC cm(-2), and that the electrosorption valency value is -0.45 to -0.95 in 0.41 < U ≤ 0.48 V (RHE) and -1.75 to -1.85 in U > 0.48 V (RHE) in good agreement with experiments reported in the literature. Vibration analysis indicates that the vibration frequencies observed experimentally at 1250 and 950 cm(-1) can be assigned, respectively, to the S-O (uncoordinated) and symmetric S-O stretching modes for sulfate, and that the higher frequency mode has a larger potential-dependence (58 cm(-1) V(-1)) than the lower one.     

Effect of anion adsorption on early stages of copper electrocrystallization at Au(111) surface

The monolayer and submonolayer deposition of copper on Au(111) electrode surface in the presence of chloride and sulfate ions was studied by in situ X-ray absorption and electrochemical techniques. The anions coadsorb with the deposited copper adatoms and have a strong influence on the structure of these mixed overlayers. Copper deposited in the presence of chloride forms a bilayer in which copper atoms are sandwiched between the gold substrate and the top layer of chloride ions. The bilayer is well ordered and has a (5×5) long range structure. The copper atoms are packed in registry with the top layer of chloride ions. In contrast, copper adatoms deposited in the presence of sulfate ions are packed in registry with respect to the Au(111) substrate. The coadsorbed copper and sulfate form a highly corrugated overlayer. The copper adatoms assume a honeycomb (√3×√3) structure with the center of the honeycomb occupied by sulfate. The sulfate ion adsorbs with three of its four oxygens directed towards the hexagon of copper adatoms. The bond angle between the copper adatom and the oxygen of the sulfate ion is approximately equal to 45 °. Our data indicate that, in contrary to the literature reports, the (√3×√3) structure observed on STM and AFM images corresponds to the corrugation of adsorbed sulfate ions rather than copper adatoms.