Formation of a liquid film of AgNO3 on a silver surface

The behavior of a AgNO₃/Ag₂O/Ag “sandwich” upon heating in vacuum was studied by in situ X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and ex situ scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The AgNO₃/Ag₂O/Ag “sandwich” was prepared by exposure of a silver foil to a NO : O₂ mixture. The upper layer of the “sandwich” consists of AgNO₃ crystals of a mean size between 0.1 and 0.4 μm. Heating at 550 K in vacuum results in melting of the AgNO₃ crystals. A liquid film of AgNO₃, readily wetting the silver, covers the surface. Cooling below the melting point of AgNO₃ leads to the agglomeration of silver nitrate to long islands with a size reaching a few tens of micrometers (μm). The possible effects of AgNO₃ liquid‐phase formation on surface processes are discussed. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.