NOVEL VIEW OF THE ELECTROCHEMISTRY OF GOLD

The basic electrochemistry of gold in aqueous media is frequently viewed in very simple terms as involving only double-layer charging/discharging and monolayer oxide formation/removal phenomena. However, gold can also undergo two other reactions: multilayer hydrated oxide formation/reduction and pre-monolayer oxidation/reduction; there is now reliable spectroscopic evidence for the latter behaviour. In the present work the redox behaviour of the gold/solution interface is outlined with the aid of a novel summary diagram, and the relevance of incipient oxidation with regard to the electrocatalytic behaviour of this important model interface is summarized.