Structure and Reactivity of Metal, Inorganic, and Organic Monolayers on Electrode Surfaces

伊利诺伊大学厄巴纳-香槟分校的Andrew Gewirth教授正在使用各种电化学和扫描探针显微方法研究几种电极反应的结构和反应性。在分析和表面化学项目的支持下，他正在考虑在欠电位沉积修饰的表面上电还原氧、过氧化物和硝酸盐。他也在研究电极表面的小分子吸附剂的结构，特别是多金属氧酸盐，并将其与单层的结构和功能联系起来。使用特高压方法对电极表面溶剂结构的研究也在进行中。详细了解修饰电极表面的结构和反应性之间的联系，对于理解和后续设计电化学催化剂、燃料电池电极和电化学传感器非常重要。为了开发用于燃料电池和传感器的改进电极，必须对电极表面的结构有详细的了解。当与这些改性表面的反应性测量相结合时，就可以制定设计标准。本研究项目的重点是在许多重要的电化学过程中获得这种结构-功能相关性，包括电还原、溶剂相互作用和无机覆盖层的表面改性。这些信息将有助于改进传感器和电催化剂的设计。

Professor Andrew Gewirth at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is examining the structure and reactivity of several electrode reactions, using a variety of electrochemical and scanning probe microscopic methods. With the support of the Analytical and Surface Chemistry Program, he is considering the electroreduction of oxygen, peroxide, and nitrate on underpotential deposition modified surfaces. He is also investigating the structure of small molecule adsorbates, including specifically polyoxometallates, on electrode surfaces and correlating that with the structure and function of the monolayer. Studies of the structure of solvents on electrode surfaces using UHV methods are also underway. A detailed understanding of the connection between structure and reactivity of modified electrode surfaces is important for the understanding and subsequent design of electrochemical catalysts, fuel cell electrodes, and electrochemical sensors. In order to develop improved electrodes for fuel cell and sensor applications, a detailed understanding of the structure of the electrode surface must be obtained. When coupled with measures of the reactivity of these modified surfaces, design criteria can be developed. This research project focusses on obtaining this structure-function correlation for a number of important electrochemical processes, including electroreduction, solvent interactions, and surface modification by inorganic overlayers. This information will be useful for the design of improved sensors and electrocatalysts.