Electrochemical
mass spectrometry (EC-MS) is combined
with chronoamperometry
to quantify H coverage associated with the surface hydride phase on
Cu(111) in 0.1 mol/L H2SO4. A two-step potential
pulse program is used to examine anion desorption and hydride formation,
and the inverse, by tracking the 2 atomic mass unit (amu) signal for
H2 production in comparison to the charge passed. On the
negative potential step, the reduction current is partitioned between
anion desorption, hydride formation, and the hydrogen evolution reaction
(HER). For modest overpotentials, variations in partial processes
are evident as inflections in the chronoamperometry and EC-MS signal.
On the return step to positive potentials, hydride decomposition by
H recombination to H2 occurs in parallel with sulfate adsorption.
The challenge associated with the inherent diffusional delay in the
EC-MS response is mitigated by total H2 collection and
steady-state analysis facilitated by the thin-layer EC-MS cell geometry
as demonstrated for the HER on a non-hydride forming Ag electrode.
Analysis of the respective transients and steady-state response on
Cu(111) reveals a saturated hydride fractional coverage of 0.67 at
negative potentials with an upper bound charge of 106 μC/cm2 (average electrosorption valency of ≈1.76) associated
with adsorption of the (√3 × √7) mixed sulfate-water
adlayer at positive potentials.