The adsorption of CO2, CO, and H2O, components of important industrial reactions including the water gas shift (WSG) reaction (CO + H2O → CO2 + H2) and CO2 hydrogenation to methanol, were utilized to investigate the catalytic activity of TiO2 nanoparticles supported on Au(111). Systematic studies of TiO2 nanoparticle coverage were conducted using temperature programmed desorption to understand the adsorption and reaction of these molecules over the inverse model catalyst. Increasing the coverage of TiO2 nanoparticles led to an increased desorption temperature of CO2.  The stabilization of CO2 by the presence of TiO2 nanoparticles indicates the potential of the material to act as a low temperature hydrogenation catalyst. It was expected that adsorption of CO and H2O on TiO2 nanoparticles supported on Au(111) would exhibit WGS chemistry, however interestingly, the formation of formaldehyde was observed. The production of formaldehyde is likely a result of the reduced state of the surface which promoted the hydrogenation of CO.<br/>

Stabilization and reaction of small molecules on TiO2/Au(111) inverse model catalysts

253rd National Meeting (2017)

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