1. Practically modified attenuated total reflection surface-enhanced IR absorption spectroscopy for high-quality frequency-extended detection of surface species at electrodes
- Author
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Xiao-Kang, Xue, Jin-Yi, Wang, Qiao-Xia, Li, Yan-Gang, Yan, Jian-Hua, Liu, and Wen-Bin, Cai
- Subjects
Infrared spectroscopy -- Methods ,Electrodes -- Chemical properties ,Electrochemical analysis -- Methods ,Semiconductor wafers -- Design and construction ,Semiconductor wafers -- Chemical properties ,Chemistry - Abstract
A practically modified ATR configuration has been proposed for in situ electrochemical surface-enhanced IR absorption spectroscopy (SEIRAS) by sandwiching an ultrathin water interlayer between a hemicylindrical ZnSe prism and a Si wafer as an integrated window. This new ATR optics significantly enhances the throughput of an effective IR beam across the ZnSe/gap/Si/metal film, enabling high-quality spectral fingerprints down to 700 [cm.sup.-1] to be readily detected at larger incidence angles without compromising the electrochemical feasibility and stability of metallic films deposited on Si. The advantages of this modified ATR-SEIRAS have been initially applied to explore two selected systems: wide-ranged in situ ATR-SEIRA spectra provided strong evidence in support of the formate intermediate pathway for methanol electrooxidation at the Pt electrode in an acid solution; in addition, new spectral fingerprints revealed comprehensive orientational information about of the p-nitrobenzoate species at Pt electrode as a result of the dissociative adsorption of p-nitrobenzoic acid molecules from an acid solution.
- Published
- 2008