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Materials 2010, 3(6), 3675-3693; doi:10.3390/ma3063675

Article

Scanning Tunneling Spectroscope Use in Electrocatalysis Testing

Turid Knutsen

Faculty of Engineering and Science, University of Agder, NO-4898 Grimstad, Norway

Received: 29 April 2010; in revised form: 21 May 2010 / Accepted: 8 June 2010 / Published: 14 June 2010

(This article belongs to the Special Issue SPM in Materials Science)

Download PDF Full-Text [567 KB, uploaded 18 June 2010 10:28 CEST]

Abstract: The relationship between the electrocatalytic properties of an electrode and its ability to transfer electrons between the electrode and a metallic tip in a scanning tunneling microscope (STM) is investigated. The alkaline oxygen evolution reaction (OER) was used as a test reaction with four different metallic glasses, Ni₇₈Si₈B₁₄, Ni₇₀Mo₂₀Si₅B₅, Ni₅₈Co20Si₁₀B₁₂, and Ni₂₅Co₅₀Si₁₅B₁₀, as electrodes. The electrocatalytic properties of the electrodes were determined. The electrode surfaces were then investigated with an STM. A clear relationship between the catalytic activity of an electrode toward the OER and its tunneling characteristics was found. The use of a scanning tunneling spectroscope (STS) in electrocatalytic testing may increase the efficiency of the optimization of electrochemical processes.

Keywords: scanning tunneling microscope; oxygen evolution reaction; metallic glasses of Ni alloys

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