title: Electroreduction of oxygen on octadecylmercaptan self-assembled monolayers.
abstract: The reduction of oxygen has been studied on octadecylmercaptan self-assembled monolayers adsorbed on gold substrates in borate buffer solutions with a rotating disc electrode. A great inhibition of the oxygen reduction and other electrochemical reactions by these monolayers has been found. However, after polarisation at -0.80 V(SHE) the protecting properties of the film against electron transfer reactions are lost, and a behaviour similar to bare gold is observed. Ex situ XPS indicates that the thiol monolayer has not been desorbed to a large extent during oxygen reduction. Disorders of the monolayer structure and desorption of thiol molecules are proposed as the main reasons for the accessibility of electrochemical reactions to the surface.
authors.affiliation: MPI für Eisenforschung GmbH, Max-Planck-Strasse 1, D-40237, Düsseldorf, Germany.
authors.forename: E R
authors.initials: ER
authors.lastname: Vago
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: De Weldige
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rohwerder
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Stratmann