The Future of Physical Methods in Electrochemistry

Scanning Probe Methods The main problem with scanning probe methods is the lack of chemical information. Methods have to be devised to get chemical information simnltaneonsly with the images. 

Electrochemical Quartz Crystal Microbalance Fntnre advances will require the coupling of EQCM with spectroscopic techniqnes that yield chemical information. EQCM has been conpled with ellipsometry (Gottesfeld et al., 1995). However, ellip-sometry does not yield chemical information. 

Optical Methods Reflectance and ellipsometry snffer from lack of a theory at the molecnlar level. The same is true for SERS and SHG. The main advances will be in the nse of far-IR spectroscopy and SFG. SFG measurements performed with femtosecond lasers open np new possibilities for time-resolved adsorbate stndies. 

Ex Situ Methods XPS and HREELS will continne to be very usefnl ex sitn methods for the stndy of electrode surfaces. Soft X-ray XAS in both the EY and FY modes shonld find wider application. 

Baldelli, S., N. Markovic, P. Ross, Y.-R. Shen, and G. Somorjai, J. Phys. Chem., B103, 8920 (1999). 

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