Abstract
Considerable confusion exists in the literature regarding the interpretation of peaks in the spectra of aluminium—aluminium oxide—lead tunnelling junctions doped with either water or water vapour. These peaks, which appear in the CH bend and stretch regions, have been variously assigned as trace organic impurities or as formic acid chemically produced within the tunnelling junction by a reaction between atmospheric carbon dioxide and the water dopant. The present work attempts to resolve this ambiguity by producing formic acid tunnelling spectra and comparing these with spectra produced from triply distilled water doped junctions. These spectra, which fingerprint exactly, have been assigned. Potential organic impurities in the water have been investigated by high resolution mass spectroscopy. The tunnelling spectrum of a junction electrode penetration doped with a suspension of calcium oxide in water has been produced and is assigned as calcium carbonate. It is suggested that a reaction takes place between calcium hydroxide and carbon dioxide adsorbed on the surface of the alumina to produce calcium carbonate. It is concluded that formic acid is produced within tunnelling junctions by a reaction between atmospheric carbon dioxide and water on the alumina surface.
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