Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Adsorption Of Water On Gold, Jean-Marc Louis Deschanel

Masters Theses

"Water adsorption isotherms on gold films were measured with a quartz crystal microbalance. Two gold films were studied: a "dirty" gold film contaminated by approximately one monolayer of carbon, and a "clean" gold film prepared by evaporating gold from a heated tungsten wire under high vacuum.

Water was found to chemisorb on both films according to a Freundlich type adsorption isotherm. Isosteric heats of adsorption were computed from the isotherm data. On the "clean" gold surface the isosteric heat showed a logarithmic decrease with increasing water coverage. The highest measured value for the heat of adsorption was 35 kcal mole …