Publications Repository - Gdańsk University of Technology

The complex electrocatalytic performance of gold nanocubes (AuNCs) is the focus of this work. The faceted shapes of AuNCs and the individual assembly processes at the electrode surfaces define the heterogeneous conditions for the purpose of electrocatalytic processes. Topographic and electron imaging demonstrated slightly rounded AuNC (average of 38 nm) assemblies with sizes of ≤1 μm, where the dominating patterns are (111) and (200) crystallographic planes. The AuNCs significantly impact the electrochemical performance of the investigated electrode [indium–tin oxide (ITO), glassy carbon (GC), and bulk gold] systems driven by surface electrons promoting the catalytic effect. Cyclic voltammetry in combination with scanning electrochemical microscopy allowed us to decipher the molecular mechanism of substrate-induced electrostatic assembly of gold nanocube arrays, revealing that the accelerated electrocatalytic effect should be attributed to the confinement of the heterogeneous diffusion fields with tremendous electrochemically active surface area variations. AuNC drop-casting at ITO, GC, and Au led to various mechanisms of heterogeneous charge transfer; only in the case of GC did the decoration significantly increase the electrochemically active surface area (EASA) and ferrocyanide redox kinetics. For ITO and Au substrates, AuNC drop-casting decreases system dimensionality rather than increasing the EASA, where Au–Au self-diffusion was also observed. Interactions of the gold, ITO, and GC surfaces with themselves and with surfactant CTAB and ferrocyanide molecules were investigated using density functional theory.

Authors

• Dr Paweł Niedziałkowski,
• Adrian Koterwa,
• mgr inż. Adrian Olejnik link open in new tab ,
• dr hab. inż. Artur Zieliński link open in new tab ,
• dr inż. Karolina Górnicka link open in new tab ,
• Mateusz Brodowski link open in new tab ,
• dr hab. inż. Robert Bogdanowicz link open in new tab ,
• dr hab. inż. Jacek Ryl link open in new tab