Tuning of 2D Nanographene Adlayers on Au(111) by Electrodeposition of Metal Halide Complexes

The electrodeposition of AuBr4– and PtBr42– onto an adlayer of circobiphenyl—a structurally defined nanographene with low symmetry—on a Au(111) electrode was investigated via electrochemical scanning tunneling microscopy (EC-STM) to control and understand the formation of characteristic nanoclusters. By immersing a circobiphenyl-coated Au(111) substrate in a 0.1 mM aqueous AuBr4– solution, AuBr4– was spontaneously reduced and a characteristic mixed adlayer consisting of circobiphenyl molecules and Br– ions with monatomic Au islands was produced on the Au(111) surface. A similar electrodeposition process was performed in an aqueous solution of PtBr42– and an identical mixed adlayer was obtained with Pt nanoclusters. The electrodeposition of Au and Pt complexes was facilitated by the “negatively charged” reconstructed Au(111) surface, which is stabilized by the formation of a highly ordered circobiphenyl adlayer. EC-STM revealed the formation of characteristic dimers of Pt clusters ranging from 2–4 nm in di...