Investigations of reactions over well-defined model catalysts are essential to gain amolecular level understanding of the catalytic processors. More recently, we have established the importance of the unique morphology, electronic structure, and oxide nanoparticles-metal interface in catalytic processes by using inverse (oxide-nanoparticles/metal-substrate configuration) model catalysts. These inverse model catalysts show remarkable activity for many catalytic reactions such as water-gas shift (WGS), methanol synthesis, and CO oxidation. We have prepared and characterized inverse CeOx-CuyO/Cu(111) and TiOx-CuyO/Cu(111) model catalysts, and studied reactions over these systems using infrared reflection absorption spectroscopy (IRRAS), scanning tunneling microscopy (STM), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). We have investigated the WGS reaction on CeOx-CuyO/Cu(111) and illustrated the power of in-situ mechanistic studies on well-defined catalysts and the important role that metal-oxide interfaces can play in catalysis. Interactions of CO2 + H2 over CeOx/Cu(111) have been investigated under elevated pressure conditions and the formation of formates, a potential intermediate in the methanol synthesis, has been observed. We have also studied the interactions of TiOx-CuyO/Cu(111) systems with small molecules from ultra-high vacuum to elevated pressure conditions.

Investigations of reactions over inverse CeOx-CuyO/Cu(111) and TiO2-CuyO/Cu(111) model catalysts

246th National Meeting (2013)

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