Electrochemical Behavior of Irreversibly Adsorbed Sb on Au Electrode

The electrochemical processes of irreversibly adsorbed antimony (Sbad) on Au electrode were investigated by cyclic voltammetry (CV) and electrochemical quartz crystal microbalance (EQCM). CV data showed that Sbad on Au electrode yielded oxidation and reduction features at about 0.15 V (vs saturated calomel electrode, SCE). EQCM data indicated that Sbad species were stable on Au electrode in the potential region from −0.25 to 0.18 V (vs SCE); the adsorption of Sb inhibited the adsorption of water and anion on Au electrode at low electrode potentials. Sb2O3 species was suggested to form on the Au electrode at 0.18 V. At a potential higher than 0.20 V the Sb2O3 species could be further oxidized to Sb(V) oxidation state and then desorbed from Au electrode.