Features of the Metal Nuclei Spatial Distribution on the Glassy Carbon Surface During the Receipt of Thin Films by Electrolysis

Abstract

The statistics of the distances among the nearest-neighbor nuclei developed at the initial stage of the electrolysis was analyzed using the example of the metal (Cu, Ag, Cd) electrocrystallization on the isotropic glassy carbon. It was confirmed that the most frequently met intemuclei distances tn that follow the progression equation tn = t1 · qn-1 with q≈1.4 form “structural spots” where they are located following each other in a strict sequence ti, t2 …. , tn,. It is found that the form of the “structural spots” is variable and the nuclei's density toward the border of the spot either is decreased or increased. The conditions of electrolysis under which the phenomenon of the nuclei statistically arranged order is not seen are also found.

Fractal Ordering of Copper Particls Electrodeposited on Glassy Carbon under Galvanostatic Conditions

“…Spatial distribution of metal particles on the electrode surface at the initial stages of electrocrystallization essentially influences formation of thin poreless deposits [1], their conductivity [2] and synthesis of nanoparticles and catalysts [3]. It is imperative to understand and control these processes.…”

The Cause of Long-Range Order in the Spatial Distribution of Metal Nuclei on the Glassy Carbon Surface

“…The features of spatial distributions of nuclei at the initial stages of metal electrocrystallization on the glassy carbon surface were studied using different statistical methods [1][2][3]. To determine the type and degree of the ordering of inter-nuclei distances, the new technique was developed based on the analysis of power spectra of the surface images with nuclei, which were obtained from Fraunhofer diffracting pictures by the method of coherent optics [4].…”

“…Such findings showed that under average overpotentials and diffusional controlled growth, nuclei of the new phase are not randomly located on energetic homogeneity of the glassy carbon surface. The ordering of nuclei is obvious to virtue of the fact that average distances between the nearest neighbors d 1 , d 2 ,…, d n , for which the value of Romanovsky's correspondence criterion is larger or equal to 3, obey a geometrical progression with a ratio q ≈ 1.41 [2,3,5]:…”