Dip-and-pull ambient pressure photoelectron spectroscopy as a spectroelectrochemistry tool for probing molecular redox processes
Robert H. Temperton, Anurag Kawde, Axl Eriksson, Weijia Wang, Esko Kokkonen, Rosemary Jones, Sabrina M. Gericke, Suyun Zhu, Wilson Quevedo, Robert Seidel, Joachim Schnadt, Andrey Shavorskiy, Petter Persson, Jens Uhlig
Abstract
Ambient pressure x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (APXPS) can provide a compelling platform for studying an analyte's oxidation and reduction reactions in solutions. This paper presents proof-of-principle operando measurements of a model organometallic complex, iron hexacyanide, in an aqueous solution using the dip-and-pull technique. The data demonstrates that the electrochemically active liquid meniscuses on the working electrodes can undergo controlled redox reactions which were observed using APXPS. A detailed discussion of several critical experimental considerations is included as guidance for anyone undertaking comparable experiments.