Atomic Layer Deposition of TiO on Si Window Enables ATR-SEIRAS Measurements in Strong Alkaline Electrolytes.

The Si window is the most widely used internal reflection element (IRE) for electrochemical attenuated total reflection surface-enhanced infrared absorption spectroscopy (ATR-SEIRAS), yet local chemical etching on Si by concentrated OH anions bottlenecks the reliable application of this method in strong alkaline electrolytes. In this report, atomic layer deposition of a 25 nm nonconductive TiO barrier layer on the reflecting plane of a Si prism is demonstrated to address this challenge. ATR-SEIRAS measurement on a Au film electrode with the Si/TiO composite IRE in 1 M NaOH reveals reversible global spectral features without spectral distortion at 1000-1300 cm, in stark contrast to those obtained with a bare Si window. By applying this structured ATR-SEIRAS, ethanol electrooxidation on a Pt/C catalyst in 1 and 5 M NaOH is explored, manifesting that such high pH values prevent the adsorption of as-formed acetate in the C2 pathway but not that of CO intermediate in the C1 pathway.