Reactivity mapping of nanoscale defect chemistry under electrochemical reaction conditions.

ABSTRACT: Electrocatalysts often show increased conversion at nanoscale chemical or topographic surface inhomogeneities, resulting in spatially heterogeneous reactivity. Identifying reacting species locally with nanometer precision during chemical conversion is one of the biggest quests in electrochemical surface science to advance (electro)catalysis and related fields. Here, we demonstrate that electrochemical tip-enhanced Raman spectroscopy can be used for combined topography and reactivity imaging of electro-active surface sites under reaction conditions. We map the electrochemical oxidation of Au nanodefects, a showcase energy conversion and corrosion reaction, with a chemical spatial sensitivity of about 10 nm. The results indicate the reversible, concurrent formation of spatially separated Au<

SUBMITTER: Pfisterer JHK 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6910959 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature