Determination of activation energies of mass transport processes on Ag(111) electrodes in aqueous electrolyte

Using temperature variable STM studies of step fluctuations on Ag(111) electrodes in electrolyte, we have measured the activation energies for the dominant atomic mass transport processes close to the dissolution potential of Ag into the electrolyte. The results are in agreement with previous potential dependent studies (M. Giesen, M. Dietterle, D. Stapel, H. Ibach and D. M. Kolb, Surf. Sci., 1997, 384, 168) at room temperature. Temperature dependent studies of step fluctuations are not restricted to the Ag electrode and the electrolyte chosen in the presented experiments, but are generally applicable to electrodes in a liquid environment. They are the only studies available so far to determine the activation energies of atomic processes at the solid/liquid interface.