With the support of the Analytical and Surface Chemistry Program, Professor Campbell and his coworkers at the University of Washington are directly measuring the enthalpies of adsorption of small molecules on well characterized single crystal metal surfaces. Using unique microcalorimetry methods developed with NSF support, this group is examining the enthalpies of formation of several key adsorbed intermediates in surface chemical reactions of relevance to catalysis, microelectronics fabrication, chemical sensing and nanotechnology. In particular, heats of formation are being determined for several adsorbed intermediate species on fcc(111) surfaces, including CH3, CH2, allyl, hydroxyl, and methoxy. Adsorption and adhesion energies of metals on semiconductor surfaces such as Si(100) are also being examined. This fundamental information is useful for the design of microelectronics processing and heterogeneous catalytic systems.
Using sensitive microcalorimetric methods, Professor Campbell and his colleagues are measuring the thermodynamics of formation of important catalytic intermediates on transition metal surfaces. Accurate measurements of the heats of reaction on well characterized surfaces provide fundamental understanding for the design of catalytic processes, and microelectronics manufacturing approaches. Students are being trained in the basic science that underlies these important technological areas.
