An experimental verification of the possible influence of gas nano-bubbles on the response of an electrochemical quartz crystal microbalance

Abstract

Electrochemical removal of oxygen and hydrogen from aqueous solution in the vicinity of gold electrodes, with simultaneous measurements of the response of the quartz crystal microbalance, show no evidence of gas nano-bubbles attached to the surface, irrespective of its roughness and hydrophobicity. The contact between gold and frozen electrolyte, which forms a liquid-like layer between them, also does not contain gas bubbles. These statements could be extended to nano-bubbles with characteristic dimensions larger than a few nanometers.