In-situ surface X-ray diffraction is used to characterize the surface oxides on Pt(111) surface in 0.1 M HClO 4. Detailed analysis at two potentials confirms that the surface restructuring at the initial oxidation stages is consistent with a place exchange process between Pt and O atoms, and the exchanged Pt atoms are located above their original positions in the Pt(111) lattice. The (1,1,1.5) reflection is used to dynamically study the surface during cyclic voltammetry. The restructuring associated with the place exchange initiates with the CV peak at 1.05 V, even though multiple cycles to 1.17 V lead to no changes in the CV. The restructuring is reversible below a critical coverage of place exchanged Pt atoms, which we estimate to be between 0.07 and 0.15 ML. Extensive cycling to potentials higher or equal to 1.17 V leads to progressive disordering of the surface.

Platinum dissolution and restructuring due to surface oxidation are primary degradation mechanisms that limit the lifetime of Pt-based electrocatalysts for electrochemical energy conversion. Here, we studied welldefined Pt(100) and Pt(111) electrode surfaces by in situ high-energy surface X-ray diffraction, on-line inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry, and density functional theory calculations, to elucidate the atomicscale mechanisms of these processes. The locations of the extracted Pt atoms after Pt(100) oxidation reveal distinct differences from the Pt(111) case, which explains the different surface stability. The evolution of a specific stripe oxide structure on Pt(100) produces unstable surface atoms which are prone to dissolution and restructuring, leading to one order of magnitude higher dissolution rates.

The surface restructuring of Pt(111) electrodes upon electrochemical oxidation/reduction in 0.1 M HClO4 was studied by in situ grazing-incidence small-angle X-ray scattering and complementary scanning tunneling microscopy measurements. These methods allow quantitative determination of the formation and structural evolution of nanoscale Pt islands during potential cycles into the oxidation region. A characteristic ripening behavior is observed, where these islands become more prominent and homogeneous in size with increasing number of cycles. Their characteristic lateral dimensions primarily depend on the upper potential limit of the cycle and only slightly increase with cycle number. The structural evolution of the Pt surface morphology strongly resembles that found in studies of Pt(111) homoepitaxial growth and ion erosion in ultrahigh vacuum. It can be fully explained by a microscopic model based on the known surface dynamic behavior under vacuum conditions, indicating that the same dynamics also describe the structural evolution of Pt in the electrochemical environment.

The potential dependent surface structure of Pt(111) electrodes in electrochemical environment was studied by in situ crystal truncation rod measurements and in operando grazing incidence small angle X-ray scattering. Determination of the interface structure in the oxidation region reveal a continuous increase of the coverage of place exchanged atoms toward more positive potentials. The resulting oxide consists of an oxygen rich outer and a Pt-rich inner atomic layer. With increasing potential the oxide approaches a more uniform stoichometry. While place exchange on atomically smooth terraces only occurs above 1.05 V, structural changes of 3D Pt islands, grown by repetitive oxidation/reduction cycles, already commence at 0.8 V, which is assigned to oxidation at Pt steps. Evolution of the 3D island distribution occurs in all stages of the cycles: Whereas Pt oxidation leads to narrowing of the lateral size distribution, vertical island growth occurs during the subsequent reduction.

The influence of the oxygen reduction reaction on the oxidation of Pt(111) is studied by surface X-ray diffraction. The oxygen reduction reaction does not significantly influence the place-exchange process during the initial stages of oxidation and there is no change in the onset potential and kinetics.