Under relevant catalytic conditions, typically involving high gas temperatures and high gas pressures, the structure and composition of a catalyst surface can be very different from those under the artificial conditions of low temperatures and vacuum that are required for most traditional surface sensitive experimental techniques. This can have dramatic consequences for the chemical reaction mechanisms at work and, as a result, for the performance of the catalyst. I will discuss how we use scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) and surface X-ray diffraction (SXRD) to obtain direct, atomic-scale information on the surface structure of working model catalysts. Results will be shown for CO oxidation and NO reduction on Pt and Pd surfaces and for the Fischer-Tropsch synthesis on Co, in all cases under atmospheric pressures at elevated temperatures and in all cases exhibiting a significant interplay between the reactants and the catalyst structure, with consequences for the reaction mechanisms and rates.

In-situ STM and SXRD observations on active catalysts

244th National Meeting (2012)

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