Model “inverse catalysts” are especially useful for the investigating metal-metal oxide interfaces and the role of oxygen vacancies in catalytic reactions. In this work, we performed STM measurements for size-selected metal oxide clusters deposited on different metal substrates to explore the binding sites, surface morphology and thermal stability. In these experiments, reactive magnetron sputtering was used to prepare metal oxide clusters in the gas-phase which were then mass-selected and deposited on Cu(111), Cu2O/Cu(111) and Au(111) surfaces. Specific systems include TixOy clusters on Cu2O/Cu(111) and Au(111) surfaces where it was found that Ti3O6 clusters form large islands on Cu2O with a height of about 5 nm, while they form small cluster arrays of about 4 clusters on the Au(111) surface. By comparison, the sub-stoichiometric Ti3O5 cluster exhibits larger fractal-like structures (~21 clusters) on Au(111) terraces. The thermal stability of the cluster structures was also investigated by annealing the surfaces to temperatures up to 750 K. The surface structure of other size-selected clusters will also be presented.

STM studies of the surface morphology of metal oxide clusters on metal surfaces

2019 Fall National Meeting

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