Dl. Lu et al., CRYSTALLOGRAPHIC HABIT OF GOLD PARTICLES GROWN ON ELECTRODES IN ACIDIC SOLUTIONS AT DIFFERENT ELECTRODE-POTENTIALS, Journal of electroanalytical chemistry [1992], 406(1-2), 1996, pp. 101-107
Fine gold particles grown on the electrode in various acid solutions a
t different electrode potentials have been studied by means of transmi
ssion electron microscopy. It was found that the octahedral f.c.c. sin
gle crystal particles are grown at positive electrode potentials (SCE)
, but the pentagonal decahedron and hexagonal icosahedron particles ar
e grown preferentially at negative electrode potentials (SCE). Differe
nt shapes and structures of gold particles formed at different electro
de potentials are attributed to the surface energy of the growing part
icles, which may be influenced by the electrode potential. The (1 x 1)
structure may correspond to lower surface energy structure at positiv
e electrode potentials, but the surface at negative electrode potentia
ls prefers to take the hexagonal arrangement of the atoms to lower the
surface energy. Anions showed different influences on the growth of p
articles, so the effect of anions is discussed in this paper.