
Edvin Lundgren
Professor

Visualization of atomic processes on ruthenium dioxide using scanning tunneling microscopy
Author
Summary, in English
The visualization of surface reactions on the atomic scale provides direct insight into the microscopic reaction steps taking place in a catalytic reaction at a (model) catalyst's surface. Employing the technique of scanning tunneling microscopy (STM), we investigated the CO oxidation reaction over the RuO2(110) and RuO2(100) surfaces. For both surfaces the protruding bridging O atoms are imaged in STM as bright features. The reaction mechanism is identical on both orientations of RuO2. CO molecules adsorb on the undercoordinated surface Ru atoms from where they recombine with undercoordinated O atoms to form CO2 at the oxide surface. In contrast to the RuO2(110) surface, the RuO2(100) surface stabilizes also a catalytically inactive c(2 x 2) phase may play an important role in the deactivation of RuO2 catalysts in the electrochemical Cl-2 evolution and other heterogeneous reactions.
Department/s
- Synchrotron Radiation Research
Publishing year
2004
Language
English
Pages
167-174
Publication/Series
ChemPhysChem
Volume
5
Issue
2
Document type
Journal article review
Publisher
John Wiley & Sons Inc.
Topic
- Atom and Molecular Physics and Optics
Keywords
- surface chemistry
- microscopy
- scanning probe
- ruthenium dioxide
- catalytic activity
- oxide surfaces
Status
Published
ISBN/ISSN/Other
- ISSN: 1439-7641