Stability of Nanopyramids of Pt/W(111) in Sulfuric Acid Medium

We report on the electrochemical behavior of Pt/W(111) nanfaceted surface in sulfuric acid. The Pt/W(111) nanofaceted surface was characterized by X-ray photelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and Scanning Tunneling Micrsocopy (STM) before and after the electrochemical measurements. The X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) have shown a partial oxidation of W(111) during electrochemical measurements. Comparison of STM images before and after the electrochemical measurements enabled to locate the region where the oxidation process took place.