Vibrational coupling as a probe of adsorption at different structural sites on a stepped single-crystal electrode

Adsorption of carbon monoxide at step and terrace sites on a Pt(557) ≡ Pt(s)-[6(111) × (100)] electrode was detected with infrared spectroscopy. Vibrational coupling between adsorbates provided insights into the assembly of molecules at the different structural sites. The intermolecular coupling was weak at low coverages as CO ordered along the steps. For coverages between 40 and 70% of saturation, separate bands assignable to CO on steps and CO on terraces appeared. Coupling across this coverage range was markedly weaker on Pt(557) than on the structurally related Pt(335) ≡ Pt(s)-[4(111) × (100)] electrode surface. The results indicate that, after the steps fill, CO populates the terraces on Pt(557) at random rather than by ordering in alignment with the steps. At coverages below saturation, vibrational bands assignable to CO molecules at step and terrace sites are affected differently by changes in electrode potential. The potential-induced spectral changes for the terrace CO bands are similar to those of Pt(111)/CO, but the step CO bands show deviations from this trend at hydrogen adsorption potentials.