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Correlation between electrochemical reactivity and surface chemistry of amorphous carbon nitride films
Author(s) -
Cachet H.,
DebiemmeChouvy C.,
Deslouis C.,
Lagrini A.,
Vivier V.
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
surface and interface analysis
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.52
H-Index - 90
eISSN - 1096-9918
pISSN - 0142-2421
DOI - 10.1002/sia.2146
Subject(s) - x ray photoelectron spectroscopy , electrochemistry , amorphous solid , scanning electrochemical microscopy , amorphous carbon , reactivity (psychology) , carbon nitride , chemistry , glassy carbon , nitride , analytical chemistry (journal) , surface roughness , carbon fibers , chemical engineering , materials science , electrode , inorganic chemistry , cyclic voltammetry , nanotechnology , crystallography , layer (electronics) , catalysis , composite number , organic chemistry , composite material , photocatalysis , alternative medicine , pathology , engineering , medicine
Amorphous carbon nitride (a‐CN x ) films prepared by RF magnetron sputtering technique display a moderate electrochemical reactivity. However, after electrochemical activation by a cathodic pretreatment in acidic solution, they exhibit a quasimetallic behavior. This behavior has been notably assessed by scanning electrochemical microscopy (SECM). The approach curves show that the a‐CN x electrode surfaces are made of active and inactive domains. These surfaces have also been characterized by atomic force microscopy (AFM) and XPS. AFM shows that the a‐CN x surface roughness remains very low after the activation treatment. XPS analyses indicate that the electrochemical activation of the a‐CN x materials is associated with a decrease in the number of superficial nitrogen atoms involved in sp 3 CN bonds. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.