On the vibrational behaviour of cyanide adsorbed at Pt(1 1 1) and Pt(1 0 0) surfaces in alkaline solutions

This communication deals with the vibrational behaviour of cyanide adlayers formed on Pt(1 1 1) and Pt(1 0 0) surfaces in the electrochemical environment. In situ FTIR spectroscopy can be employed to follow the potential dependence of the C–N stretching frequency in acidic electrolytes with quite a low uncertainty. Owing to the stability of the cyanide adlayer in alkaline solutions, experiments performed in NaOH medium are usually perturbed by the significant overlapping of the reference and the sample FTIR spectra. Deconvolution of the spectra was carried out assuming a Lorentz oscillator. The procedure allowed to confirm that two potential regions with different band centre frequency tuning coexist for Pt(1 1 1)–CN in perchloric acid medium. Conversely, in the alkaline electrolyte a single tuning rate for the band position was found for both surfaces studied. The lack of reorientation of the C–N molecular axis together with the occurrence of a certain screening effect of negatively charged hydroxyl anions on the electric field at the interface could be at the origin of the different behaviour displayed in both electrolytic media.