An in situ IR-Vis Sum Frequency Generation Spectroscopy study of cyanide adsorption during zinc electrodeposition

Abstract

In this paper, we demonstrate the feasibility of in situ non-linear IR-Vis Sum Frequency Generation (SFG) Spectroscopy investigations at zinc surfaces in electrochemical ambient. We investigated both zinc electrodeposition onto an extraneous electrode and adsorption on polycrystalline zinc. Electrodeposition studies were carried out onto a polycrystalline gold cathode in contact with a Zn-cyanocomplex solution containing free CN-, while adsorption studies were carried out on a polycrystalline zinc electrode in contact with a free-CN¯ solution. In both experiments, we monitored the spectroscopic features associated with the internal stretching of the adsorbed cyanide (ca. 2100 cm-1) that we exploited as local Au and Zn site probes. Spectroelectrochemical results were complemented by cyclic voltammetric measurements. This proof-ofprinciple study is encouraging in the view of more concrete applications regarding additive adsorption at zinc electrodes, aiming at a fundamental understanding of the cycling stability of zinc battery anodes.

Electrodeposition of Zinc from Alkaline Electrolytes Containing Quaternary Ammonium Salts and Ionomers: Impact of Cathodic‐Anodic Cycling Conditions

“…We have specially concentrated on carrying out simple, but highly reproducible electrochemical experiments and on identifying physical parameters diagnostic of the key processes related to dendrite suppression. The present work means to methodological foundations that will enable the practically relevant, systematic use of the in operando approaches that our group has recently demonstrated with Zn electrode: soft X‐ray scanning transmission microspectroscopy, ptychography, tomography and VIS‐IR sum‐frequency generation spectroscopy …”

Stabilization and activation of molecular oxygen at biomimetic tetrapyrroles on surfaces: from UHV to near-ambient pressure

“…44,45 Thus, the latter active surfaces could be characterized in situ and operando. 7,8,16,[44][45][46][47][48][49][50] The review focusses on these recent advances, paying specic attention to the oxygen adsorption and activation mechanisms.…”