Citrate adsorption on Pt{hkl} electrodes and its role in the formation of shaped Pt nanoparticles

The adsorption of citrate anions on Pt{h k l} single crystal electrodes and Pt nanoparticles was investigated using cyclic voltammetry (CV). Citrate is found to behave as a simple, specifically adsorbing anion, stronger in its surface interaction with platinum than either (bi-) sulphate or OH but displaying no tendency to decompose at 293 K into molecular fragments such as chemisorbed carbon monoxide. No preference for a particular adsorption site was exhibited by citrate either, as would be expected from its reported ability to control the shape of growing Pt nanoparticles. Rather, citrate is readily removed from platinum surfaces either by exposure to aqueous sodium hydroxide (it acts as a non-specifically adsorbing anion at high pH) or potential excursions to potentials