In situ FT-IR spectroscopic observation of a room-temperature molten [formula omitted] electrode interphase

• Published in: Electrochemistry communications Vol. 5; no. 5; pp. 383 - 387
• Main Authors: Nanbu, Noritoshi, Sasaki, Yukio, Kitamura, Fusao
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 2003
• Subjects: 1-Ethyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate; FT-IRAS; Gold electrode; Interphase; Ionic liquid; Room-temperature molten salt; Interphase; Gold electrode; Room-temperature molten salt; 1-Ethyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate; FT-IRAS; Ionic liquid
• ISSN: 1388-2481; 1873-1902
• DOI: 10.1016/S1388-2481(03)00073-0

We have investigated the molecular structure of an 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate (EMIBF 4) | gold electrode interphase by means of in situ Fourier transform infrared reflection absorption spectroscopy (FT-IRAS). The feature in the FT-IRA spectra obtained suggests that EMI + present in the interphase orients vertically with the molecular axis in the imidazole ring nearly parallel to the electrode surface in a potential range of −1.3 to +0.6 V vs. Ag | Ag + . The applied electrode potential causes the unbalance of the charge in the interphase, as usually seen in electrolyte solution | electrode interphases.