Articulo
Influence of the electric potential on the structure of pyridine adlayers on Au(111) terraces from in-situ scanning tunnelling microscopy imaging
Registro en:
issn:1572-6657
Autor
Andreasen, Gustavo
Vela, María Elena
Salvarezza, Roberto Carlos
Arvia, Alejandro Jorge
Institución
Resumen
The adsorption and desorption of pyridine (Py) adlayers prepared on Au(111) terraces were studied by in-situ scanning tunnelling microscopy (STM) and conventional voltammetry using an aqueous 0.1 M HClO<sub>4</sub>+10<sup>−4</sup> M Py solution at 298 K. The applied potential covered the range 0.15 V < E < 1.2 V (vs. SHE), i.e. potentials above and below E<sub>pzc</sub>, the potential of zero charge of Au(111). In the range E<sub>pzc</sub> < E < 0.96 V, hexagonal (4×4) ordered domains corresponding to Py molecules adsorbed vertically on the Au(111) surface coexist with disordered adlayer domains, but for E < E<sub>pzc</sub>, the ordered adlayer structure disappears leaving uncovered Au(111) domains. Similarly, for E > 0.96 V, the (4×4) adlayer lattice is removed completely leading to a bare Au(111) surface. By stepping E backwards to a value in the range E<sub>pzc</sub> < E < 0.96 V, the readsorption of Py takes place and the (4×4) adlayer domains are recovered in a few minutes. STM data offer the possibility of discussing anion adsorption and the early electroformation stages of the OH-containing adlayer on Au(111) terraces. Instituto de Investigaciones Fisicoquímicas Teóricas y Aplicadas