Study of inhomogeneous solid adlayers at electrolyte-solid interfaces using differential reflectance spectroscopy. Progress report, July 1, 1977--February 28, 1978. [Summaries of research activities at University of Arizona]

Abstract

Differential reflectance spectroscopy has been used to study interactions at liquid-solid and air-solid interfaces. This work is aimed toward examining a number of properties of adsorbed solid and molecular interlayers formed at such boundaries. Differential optical techniques have not previously been used to a large degree to investigate details of interfacial properties. However, in conjunction with x-ray and electron analysis these approaches are important for examining both electronic structure and adsorption-adhesion mechanics of surface coverings even if these are only a few atomic diameters in thickness. Such layers are induced in our experiments by electronic circuitry devised to add or subtract controlled amounts of adlayer through reactions at electrolytesolid interfaces.The purpose of the study is to supply new information of a basic nature concerning interfacial properties. This can be important since crystal phases of some materials exist only in thin surface coverings.Thus, a connection of this work may well be important to new thin-layer technology. Moreover, an important relation seems well established to problems in solar energy. It is known, for example, that interfacial layers modify gas evolution at some electrolyte-oxide boundaries and thus their study is closely relevant to improvement of some new fuel production schemes.