Multi-band Metasurface-Driven Surface-Enhanced Infrared Absorption Spectroscopy for Improved Characterization of...

Area of Science:

• Electrochemistry
• Spectroscopy
• Nanotechnology

Background:

• Surface-enhanced spectroscopy is key for studying electrochemical reactions crucial for sustainability.
• Limited signal enhancement hinders characterization of low-coverage or short-lived intermediates.
• Existing methods struggle to monitor multiple species simultaneously in situ.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a multi-band nanophotonic-electrochemical platform for simultaneous in situ monitoring of multiple adsorbed species.
• To overcome limitations in characterizing complex electrochemical reaction intermediates.
• To enhance the adoption of nanostructured electrodes in spectro-electrochemistry.

Main Methods:

• Developed a multi-band nanophotonic-electrochemical platform utilizing reproducible nanostructured working electrodes.
• Employed two tuned metasurface arrays to monitor two CO adsorption configurations on a Pt surface.
• Studied the electrochemical reduction of CO2 on Pt, monitoring vibrational bands at ~2030 and ~1840 cm-1.

Main Results:

• Achieved a ~40-fold enhancement in signal detection compared to conventional methods.
• Successfully monitored two distinct adsorption configurations of CO in situ.
• Demonstrated the platform's capability to baseline and detect adsorption under specific conditions.

Conclusions:

• The developed platform enables simultaneous in situ monitoring of multiple adsorbed species.
• The technology significantly enhances detection of challenging intermediates with low surface coverage or short lifetimes.
• This work provides a foundation for developing advanced sensing platforms for complex electrochemical studies.