Abstract
The assumption involved in this work is that the formation of monolayer (α) oxide species, which occurs on copper in base at 60 °C at ca. 0.5 V (RHE), is of little relevance to the electrocatalytic behaviour of the metal at low potentials. For many processes occurring at the interface in question the critical potential is ca. −0.1 V (RHE). This is the value where several electrocatalytic oxidation and reduction processes commence or terminate under potential sweep conditions; hydrous oxide films are reduced close to this value and it is possible to produce an active (but transient) state of the metal surface which exhibits a reversible redox response in this region. The results are rationalized in terms of the incipient hydrous oxide/adatom mediator model of electrocatalysis, and the nature of the active site material at the interface is discussed.
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Received: 25 January 1999 / Accepted: 8 April 1999
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Burke, L., Collins, J. & Murphy, M. Redox and electrocatalytic activity of copper in base at unusually low, premonolayer potentials. J Solid State Electrochem 4, 34–41 (1999). https://doi.org/10.1007/s100080050189
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s100080050189