ON THE STABILITY OF RECONSTRUCTED PT(100) IN AN ELECTROCHEMICAL-CELL - AN EX-SITU LEED/RHEED AND IN-SITU STM STUDY

The stability of reconstructed Pt(100)-(5 x 20) surfaces in contact with argon, water or sulfuric acid solutions, have been studied by ex-situ electron diffraction and in-situ STM. In contrast to the existing literature, we report evidence that the reconstructed Pt(100) can survive contact with the liquid phase. Reconstructed Pt(100) surfaces, prepared either in vacuum or by so called flame-annealing, were found to be stable in a potential range where no specific adsorption of anions occurs. Based on direct imaging of the top layer of the electrode, a mechanism by which the reconstruction is lifted, is proposed. Unlike for gold, no evidence of a potential-induced reconstruction has been found.