Influence of chemical composition of electrode material on the differential capacitance characteristics of the ionic liquid | electrode interface

The electrical double layer structure at polycrystalline metal | ionic liquid interface has been studied using cyclic voltammetry, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and in situ infrared methods. Polycrystalline Bi(PC), Pb(PC), Au(PC) and Pt(PC) electrodes have been prepared using ultra-high vacuum magnetron sputtering method. Noticeable dependence of differential capacitance on the electrode potential has been observed. For all electrodes, a wide well-expressed minimum in capacitance, potential (C, E) curve has been shown. For graphene, C(0001), carbide-derived carbon and Bi(PC) U-shaped curves and for Pb(PC), Au(PC) and Pt(PC) M-shaped C, E curves have been measured. Dependence of the C, E curve shape on the electrode chemical composition has been explained by the different position of the image plane of surface charge, dependent on the electronic characteristics of the electrodes under study.