The role of subsurface atomic species in the observed activity of catalytic systems remains unclear.  Transition metal surfaces are the heart of many important heterogeneously catalyzed reactions.  In addition to reactions between species adsorbed to the metal surface, subsurface atoms emerging from the bulk can react with adsorbates.  These emerging species are often non-equilibrium reagents, and exhibit unique chemistry inaccessible to thermalized surface adsorbed reagents.  To study subsurface reagents, prototypical systems of subsurface species and surface adsorbed molecules will be imaged with scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) to unequivocally determine reaction mechanisms.  The study presented here seeks to elucidate the dynamics of how an atom moves from surface to subsurface sites, and to understand how these species may be harnesses to guide new synthetic approaches.  Once a thorough understanding of the behavior of these transient, energetic reagents is achieved, selective synthetic strategies utilizing their chemistry will be possible.

Lifting the covers on the subsurface

243rd National Meeting (2012)

The official archive and repository for all ACS Meetings & Expositions abstracts and select posters or presentations.