ADSORPTION OF AMYL ALCOHOL ON AG(111) ELECTRODES - EFFECT OF ELECTRODE PRETREATMENT AND EXPERIMENTAL-TECHNIQUE

The adsorption of amyl alcohol on Ag(111) electrodes from 0.05 mol dm( -3) KClO4 aqueous solutions was studied by means of capacitance curves and potential steps. The results were compared with those obtained by Popov and coworkers using a capacitance bridge with differently prepa red electrodes. Differences and inconsistencies are discussed in terms of experimental technique and electrode surface preparation. Amyl alc ohol is less well adsorbed on Ag(111) than it is on Hg. Literature dat a for polycrystalline Au are also scrutinized for a comparative analys is. The capacitance under adsorption-desorption peaks is severely affe cted by frequency effects more at positive than at negative charges. A nalysis of the peak parameters may lead to inconsistent conclusions. T he superiority of the coulometric technique needs to be confirmed by f urther data since the physical picture is sometimes puzzling.