UNDERPOTENTIAL DEPOSITION OF COPPER ON GOLD ELECTRODES THROUGH SELF-ASSEMBLED MONOLAYERS OF PROPANETHIOL

Electrodeposition of Cu on an Au(111)/mica electrode surface coated wi th a self-assembled monolayer (SAM) of propanethiol has been studied i n a potential region comprising the underpotential deposition (UPD). T he UPD of Cu and stripping of the deposited Cu took place reversibly t hrough the SAM layer, and furthermore it was found that the SAM was st ill present on the electrode surface without significant changes in it s amount and structure even after repeating Cu deposition/stripping cy cles. The Cu adlayer stabilized the SAM completely toward its reductiv e desorption in an alkali solution, suggesting that a homogeneous Cu a dlayer was formed on the entire electrode surface. A surface structure of the resulting electrode is discussed on the basis of these electro chemical results.