Initial surface structure of flame-annealed Au(100) in aqueous solution: Consistency between in-situ scanning tunneling microscopy and electrochemical results

Abstract

Abstract : The aim of this note is to clarify the initial superficial structure of gold electrodes following the commonly utilized flame-annealing pretreatment procedure, by using atomic - resolution scanning tunneling microscopy (STM), and to show the consistency of electrochemical and STM results. Initially in 1974 it was reported that the Au(100) electrode on aqueous electrolyte exhibited some hysteresis in the differential capacity-electrode potential curves and the cyclic voltammograms within the double-layer region. This hysteresis depends on the negative potential limit and the potential-time history. In electrolyte exhibiting only slight ionic adsorption at the potential of zero change such as perchloric acid, the potential of the capacity minimum arising from the diffuse layer was shown to be shifted in the positive direction following an excursion to more negative potentials.