ABSTRACT
Using an appropriate experimental setup, differential electrochemical mass spectrometry can be used to characterize submonolayer amounts of adsorbates on polycrystalline and single-crystal electrode surfaces by means of their desorption. One possibility to achieve this is to oxidize a carbonaceous species to CO2, which is quantitatively detected in the mass spectrometer. Many adsorbates can also be desorbed at certain potentials as such or as the hydrogenated product, allowing a more direct characterization of the adsorbates. In some cases a nonreactive desorption can be induced by displacement with a second adsorbate, yielding additional information.
