Appearance of an Electrochemical Oxidative Peak of Gold/Bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)amide-based Ionic Liquid Interfaces at Elevated Temperatures

The electrochemical behavior of a Au(111) electrode was investigated in three ionic liquids (ILs) containing trifluoromethylsulfonyl-based anions at temperatures ranging from 20 degrees C to 100 degrees C. Gold oxidation, that is, gold etching, occurred at elevated temperatures (>= 70 degrees C) and was found to be dependent on the chemical structure of the ILs. These results allow us to simplify the procedure of gold dissolution in bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)amide-based ILs, thereby improving the efficiency of electrochemical etching.