Atomic-Scale Identification of the Electrochemical Roughening of Platinum

electrochemical scanning tunneling microscopy and cyclic voltammetry. Here, we present a detailed analysis of the formed islands, deriving the (evolution of the) average island growth shape. From the island shapes, we determine the densities of atomic-scale defect sites, e.g., steps and facets, which show an excellent correlation with the different voltammetric hydrogen adsorption peaks. Based on this combination of electrochemical scanning tunneling microscopy (EC-STM) and CV data, we derive a detailed atomistic picture of the nanoisland evolution during potential cycling, delivering new insights into the initial stages of platinum electrode degradation.