An ultra high vacuum-spectroelectrochemical study of the dissolution of copper in the ionic liquid (N-methylacetate)-4-picolinium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide

Abstract

Ultra high vacuum-spectroelectrochemistry was used to investigate the electrochemically generated Cu species in the ionic liquid (N-methylacetate)-4-picolinium bis(trisfluoromethylsulfonyl)imide, [MAP][Tf₂N]. The diffusion of Cu⁺ across the surface of the ionic liquid was monitored in situ by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). A numerical procedure was developed to simulate the surface process from which, the apparent diffusion coefficient of Cu⁺ across the surface is estimated to be 3.5 × 10⁻⁵ cm² s⁻¹. Bulk diffusion process of Cu⁺ in [MAP][Tf₂N] was investigated ex situ for comparison with the surface process.