The nature and stability of the Au(110)/electrochemical interface produced by flame annealing

It is shown using reflection anisotropy spectroscopy (RAS) that following flame annealing and immersion in pure water, the Au(110) surface adopts a (1×1) structure and that this structure is preserved in a 0.1 M H(2)SO(4) environment. The surface transforms to the (1×2) reconstruction following the application of a potential of 0.0 V versus SCE (a saturated calomel electrode). This surface is unstable and the RAS profile changes over periods of 15 min and 1 h in a manner which suggests that changes are occurring in the structure and distribution of [11(-)0] steps. Over longer periods the RAS transforms towards a profile attributed to a surface associated with the specific adsorption of anions.