Response of the EQCM for electrostatic and specific adsorption on gold and silver electrodes

Abstract

The response of the electrochemical quartz crystal microbalance (EQCM) has been studied on gold and silver electrodes in solution, with and without specifically adsorbed species. The frequency shifts with potential, even in the absence of specific adsorption. The shift is comparable to that caused by specific adsorption. The frequency shift caused by adsorption of pyridine depends strongly on the nature of the metal. By three independent series of experiments: without specific adsorption, with adsorption of pyridine and with silver deposition on gold, it was shown that the interaction of a gold surface with water is much stronger than that of silver.