Adsorption on semiconductor electrodes

Abstract

A review of the progress of theoretical and experimental approaches in studying adsorption at semiconductor electrode surfaces is presented. Recent results concerning hydration of these surfaces and potential profiles at the semiconductor/electrolyte solution interface are discussed. Both in-situ and ex-situ techniques have proven useful in studying adsorption at these semiconductor and metallic surfaces. The adsorption of both metallic and nonmetallic ions on a variety of semiconductor electrodes are reviewed, and the role of adsorbed species in influencing reaction kinetics at semiconductor electrode surfaces is emphasized. For the case of deposited metals, this is illustrated by considering hydrogen evolution at p-type semiconductor electrodes. The interactions between adsorbed reaction intermediates and surface states are also important in influencing reaction kinetics. This topic is considered by reviewing oxygen evolution at TiO 2 photoanodes.