Porous model type electrodes by induced dewetting of thin Pt films on YSZ substrates

Thin Platinum films, prepared by Pulsed Laser Deposition (PLD) on single-crystalline yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ), show microstructurally uncontrolled dewetting upon heating to elevated temperatures. We tested several methods to induce the dewetting process, yielding a regular pattern — including structuring by masking of the surface with a Pt net and pre-coating of the YSZ surface with different substances. Electrochemical measurements prove that these electrodes show a higher exchange current density compared to untreated, fully covering Pt|YSZ systems and are morphologically stable upon electrochemical polarization and heating. Thin films structured by induced dewetting at high temperature may become useful tools as model type electrodes for surface analytical studies of electrode reactions at lower temperatures than their dewetting treatment.