Snapshot Analysis of Dynamic Electrochemical Interfaces by Emersion Techniques

2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19H02695
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 32020:Functional solid state chemistry-related
• Research Institution: Institute of Physical and Chemical Research
• Principal Investigator: Yokota Yasuyuki 国立研究開発法人理化学研究所, 開拓研究本部, 専任研究員 (00455370)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: 電気二重層 / 電気化学界面 / 光電子分光 / 走査トンネル顕微鏡

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Atomic-scale analysis of the solution/electrode interface is strongly desired to further improve the performance of storage batteries and other devices, but experimental techniques are severely limited by the presence of liquid. While in situ techniques to measure the interface in situ are currently being developed, we have succeeded in developing a technique to pull up the electrode from the liquid and introduce it into an ultrahigh vacuum while maintaining the 1 nm-thick electric double layer formed at the interface. In this study, we have performed snapshot measurements of the electric double layer (ex situ measurements) using photoelectron spectroscopy, which enables chemical species identification, and scanning tunneling microscopy, which enables atomic-scale analysis, and successfully tracked various events on the electrode that cannot be obtained by the in situ measurements.

Free Research Field

表面電気化学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

2050年のカーボンニュートラル実現に向けて蓄電池等の電気化学デバイスの開発が急務となっており、デバイス性能を決定する電気二重層の詳細を原子スケールで評価できる手法の開発が望まれている。もし、ある瞬間の電気二重層の原子配置を保持して取り出すことができれば、電極表面上のイオンや溶媒分子の分布を把握できるだけでなく、電気化学反応前後の化学種を個別に捉えることまで可能になる。本研究では、従来の理想化された電気二重層モデルでは捉えられない現実電極系の物理化学を展開し、次世代の電気化学デバイス設計に資する知見を得ることに成功した。