The adsorption of 3-mercaptopropanesulfonate (MPS) molecule on a Pt(111) single-crystal electrode and its effect on the deposition of Cu have been examined using in situ scanning tunneling microscopy (STM). MPS admolecules were irreversibly adsorbed in a largely disordered adlayer on bare Pt(111) in 0.1 M HClO(4), irrespective of the presence of chloride, the concentration of MPS, and the applied potential. In comparison, the MPS admolecules readily formed a highly ordered molecular structure identified as (4x2 root 3)rect on Pt(111) precoated with a monolayer of Cu adatoms. The MPS admolecules were adsorbed upright on Pt(111). The cyclic voltammetric results show that the MPS adlayer on Pt(111) would inhibit Cu deposition because the addition of 10 mu M MPS to the electrolyte of 0.1 M HClO(4)+1 mM KCl+1 mM Cu(ClO(4))(2) reduced the amount of the Cu deposit by half, even in the presence of chloride. The texture of the Cu deposit also varied with the surface state of the Pt(111) electrode as the Cu film grew in three-dimensional islands and smooth flakelike morphology on the MPS-modified and Cu-coated Pt(111) electrodes, respectively. In situ STM results indicated that the MPS admolecules stayed afloat rather than buried by the Cu deposit

The adsorption of bis-3-sodiumsulfopropyldi-sulfide (SPS) on metal electrodes in chloride-containing media has been intensively studied to unveil its accelerating effect on Cu electrodeposition. Molecular resolution scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) imaging technique was used in this study to explore the adsorption and decomposition of SPS molecules concurring with the electrodeposition of copper on an ordered Pt(111) electrode in 0.1 M HClO(4) + 1 mM Cu(ClO(4))(2) + 1 mM KCl. Depending on the potential of Pt(111), SPS molecules could react, adsorb, and decompose at chloride-capped Cu films. A submonolayer of Cu adatoms classified as the underpotential deposition (UPD) layer at 0.4 V (vs Ag/AgCl) was completely displaced by SPS molecules, possibly occurring via RSSR (SPS) + Cl-Cu-Pt → RS(-)-Pt(+) + RS(-) (MPS) + Cu(2+) + Cl(-), where MPS is 3-mercaptopropanesulfonate. By contrast, at 0.2 V, where a full monolayer of Cu was presumed to be deposited, SPS molecules were adsorbed in local (4 × 4) structures at the lower ends of step ledges. Bulk Cu deposition driven by a small overpotential (η < 50 mV) proceeded slowly to yield an atomically smooth Cu deposit at the very beginning (<5 layers). On a bilayer Cu deposit, the chloride adlayer was still adsorbed to afford SPS admolecules arranged in a unique 1D striped phase. SPS molecules could decompose into MPS upon further Cu deposition, as a (2 × 2)-MPS structure was observed with prolonged in situ STM imaging. It was possible to visualize either SPS admolecules in the upper plane or chloride adlayer sitting underneath upon switching the imaging conditions. Overall, this study established a MPS molecular film adsorbed to the chloride adlayer sitting atop the Cu deposit.

In situ scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) was used to study the adsorption and polymerization of aniline on Au(111) single-crystal electrode in 0.1 M perchloric acid and 0.1 M benzenesulfonic acids (BSA) containing 30 mM aniline, respectively. At the onset potential of aniline's oxidation, approximately 0.8 V [vs reversible hydrogen electrode], aniline molecules were adsorbed in highly ordered arrays, designated as (3 x 2 square root(3)) and (4 x 2 square root(3)) in perchloric acid and BSA, respectively. These structures consisted of intermingled aniline molecules and perchlorate or BSA(-) anions zigzagging in the <110> directions in HClO(4) and in the <121> directions in BSA. The coverage of aniline admolecule on Au(111) was lower in BSA than in HClO(4). Raising the potential to 0.9 V or more positive values triggered the oxidation and polymerization of aniline. With aniline molecules arranging in a way similar to the backbone of PAN in HClO(4), they readily coupled with each other to produce linear polymeric chains aligned predominantly in the 110 directions of the Au(111). Compared with the results observed in H(2)SO(4) (Lee et al. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2009, 131, 6468), the rate of polymerization was slower in HClO(4) and the produced PAN molecules tended to aggregate on the Au(111) electrode. PAN molecules generated in HClO(4) were anomalously shorter than those formed in H(2)SO(4). In 0.1 M BSA, PAN molecules produced by small overpotential (eta < 100 mV) could assume linear chains or 3D aggregates, depending on [aniline]. These results revealed molecular level details in electropolymerization of aniline, highlighting the important role of anion in controlling the conformation of PAN molecules and the texture of PAN film.

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Cyclic voltammetry (CV) and in situ scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) were used to examine the adsorption and electropolymerization of 3-methylaniline (3-MA) and 3-ethylaniline (3-EA) on Au(111) single-crystal electrode in 0.5 M H 2 SO 4 + 6 mM 3-MA and 3-EA, respectively. 3-MA admolecules were adsorbed in a Au(111) (5 × 2 3)rect structure (θ ) 0.2) at 0.5 V (vs reversible hydrogen electrode, RHE), but rearranged into two less compact adlattices, (5 × 2 3)rect, θ ) 0.10 and (3 3 × 2 3), θ ) 0.11, when the potential was increased from 0.5 to 0.8 V. In comparison, 3-EA admolecules were adsorbed in Au(111) (4 × 2 3)rect, θ ) 0.125 at the onset potential (0.9 V) for electropolymerization. Raising the potential in excess of 0.9 V resulted in oxidation and polymerization of 3-MA and 3-EA molecules. The poly(3-MA) molecules produced in the early stage (<1 monolayer) assumed linear conformation, but became predominantly crooked upon the increase of overpotential. In contrast, poly(3-EA) molecules were mostly straight and aligned preferentially in the 〈121〉 directions of the Au(111) electrode. Linear poly(3-EA) chains continued to thrive with time and stacked up to produce a smooth polymeric film. Possible reasons for this sharp contrast in molecular conformation are discussed.

Cyclic voltammetry (CV) and in situ scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) were employed to study the adsorption and polymerization of the geometric isomers of ethylaniline (EA) on a Au(111) single-crystal electrode in 0.5 M H(2)SO(4). All three isomers, namely o-, m-, and p-EA, were adsorbed in highly ordered structures, identified as Au(111)-(4 x 2 square root(3))rect for m- and p-EA and (4 square root(3) x 4 square root(3))R30 degrees for o-EA, at the onset potentials (approximately 0.9 V [vs. reversible hydrogen electrode]) for electropolymerization. Raising the potential in excess of 0.9 V resulted in oxidation and polymerization of m- and o-EA, but decomposition of p-EA. Molecular-resolution STM imaging revealed that poly(m-EA) and poly(o-EA), denoted respectively as m- and o-PEA, exhibited distinctively different molecular shapes. More specifically, m-PEA molecules were predominantly linear and aligned preferentially in the 121 directions of the Au(111) surface; whereas o-PEA molecules were ill-defined in shape and in dimension. These differences in molecular conformation stemmed from unlike arrangements of adsorbed monomers at 0.9 V. Notably, m-EA were adsorbed in zigzags with two nearest neighbors separated by approximately 0.5 nm, which were spatially so similar to the backbones of m-PEA that m-EA molecules coupled readily when the potential was raised high enough to induce the oxidation of m-EA. In contrast, the arrangement of o-EA molecules was so different from the ideal configuration of its polymer that molecules coupled randomly to yield crooked polymer chains less than 20 nm in length. The effect of potential on the structure of m-PEA was examined also, revealing notable branching of linear m-PEA if the electrochemical potential was set at 1.1 V.