With the support of the Analytical and Surface Chemistry Program, Professor Harrison and his coworkers in the Department of Chemistry at the University of Virginia are exploring the detailed photochemical dynamics of small molecules on alkali promoted platinum and ruthenium surfaces. Using a combination of UHV spectroscopic probes and theoretical calculations, the effects of alkali metal adsorption on the photodissociation dynamics of molecules such as CO2, CH4, and N2 are being examined. Information from these fundamental studies is useful in the subsequent design of energy efficient photocatalytic processes for energy production and environmental remediation.
The use of solar energy to drive catalytic processes for the formation of new energy and chemical feedstocks, and the remediation of environmental contaminants, relies on an understanding of the detailed surface photochemical processes on the catalyst. Professor Harrison and his coworkers at the University of Virginia are addressing these fundamental questions with a research program of experimental measurement and calculational modeling. They are specifically interested in the effects of alkali metal promotion on the photodissociation dynamics of small molecules on well characterized platinum and ruthenium surfaces.
