In Situ Scanning Tunneling Microscopy of Polycrystalline Platinum Electrodes under Potential Control: Copper Electrodeposition and Pyrrole Electropolymerization

Abstract

The surface changes of Pt electrodes immersed in solution under potential control were studied by scanning tunneling microscopy. Various structures were observed on a polished, flame‐annealed‐quenched polycrystalline electrode. Extended cycling of the electrode in between the regions where an adsorbed oxide film forms and is removed causes significant roughening of the electrode surface. The electrodeposition of copper on polycrystalline Pt and of polypyrrole on a Pt film on mica was also investigated.