In situ STM studies of Bi(1Â 1Â 1) electrodes in aqueous electrolyte solutions

The in situ STM studies of Bi(1 1 1)C, cleaved at the temperature of liquid nitrogen inside the glove box, have been performed under negative polarisation from −0.1 to −0.7 V (versus Ag|AgCl in sat. KCl aqueous solution). The 0.05 M Na2SO4 + 0.0005 M H2SO4 aqueous solution has been used for in situ STM studies. The atomic resolution has been achieved. The in situ STM data show that the surface structure of Bi(1 1 1)C and electrochemically polished Bi(1 1 1)EP is stable within the potential region investigated and there are no quick surface reconstruction processes as observed for Au(h k l) and discussed in the works [A. Hamelin, in: J.O'M. Bockris, B.E. Conway, R.E. White (Eds.), Modern Aspects of Electrochemistry, vol. 16, Plenum, New York, 1985, p. 1; D.M. Kolb, Ber. Bunsen. Phys. Chem. 92 (1988) 1175; D.M. Kolb, in: J. Lipkowski, P.N. Ross (Eds.), Structure of Electrified Interfaces, VCH, New York, 1993, p. 65; S. Trasatti, E. Lust, in: R.E. White, J.O'M. Bockris, B.E. Conway (Eds.), Modern Aspects of Electrochemistry, vol. 33, Kluwer Academic/Plenum Publishers, New York, 1999, p. 1].