In situ EC-AFM observation with atomic resolution of Pb(l 0 0) and Pb(l 1 1) single crystals in sulfuric acid solution

摘要

Pb(l 0 0) and Pb(l 1 1) single crystals in 50 mM H_2SO_4 aqueous solution have been investigated by in situ electrochemical atomic force microscopy (EC-AFM) under potential control. We have succeeded in observating high resolution images of Pb(l 0 0) and Pb(l 1 1) single crystals, as well as high resolution and morphological images of PbSO_4 crystals formed on the Pb single crystals. We found that the top face of PbSO_4 crystals formed on Pb(l 0 0) is PbSO_4(0 0 1), while that on Pb(l 1 1) is PbSO_4(l 0 0). We also found that the atomic rows along the [1 0 0] and [0 1 0] direction of PbSO_4(0 0 1) surface were parallel with those along the [0 1 1] and [0 1 I] direction of the Pb(l 0 0) substrate, while those along the [0 1 0] and [001] direction of the PbSO_4 (100) surface were parallel with those along the [0 1 1] and [1 1 1] direction of the Pb(1 1 1) substrate.