Roughening of thin silver films in aqueous electrolytes

ALDABE BILMES, S

JOURNAL OF THE CHEMICAL SOCIETY-FARADAY TRANSACTIONS I

ELSEVIER

Año: 1996 vol. 92 p. 2381 - 2387

0300-9599

The reactivity of silver surfaces in aqueous electrolytes, i.e. corrosion and roughening, is studied by monitoring simultaneously changes in resistivity and transmittance of thin silver films. Atomic-scale and large-scale roughening are discriminated by the different sensitivity of the transmittance and resistance responses. Results for different surface conditions produced on a thin silver film by adsorption of water, pyridine and Cl– ions, as well as the potential dependence, are interpreted by considering that adsorbates induce roughening of the surface.