This research project carried out by Professor R. Madix of Stanford University, and supported in the Analytical and Surface Chemistry Program, addresses the effects of the two dimensional organization of reactive adsorbed layers on their reactivity. Scanning tunneling microscopy, coupled with vibrational spectroscopic methods, is used to investigate the connection between organization in reacting overlayers, and the detailed kinetics and selectivity of the surface catalyzed reaction. The spatial distribution of reactants and reaction intermediates, and the evolution of this distribution in time, is correlated with the detailed macroscopic kinetics of the surface reaction. Methanol oxidation on the Cu(110) and on the Ag(110) surface serves as the focus of this work. Autocatalytic decomposition of formate species on the nickel surface is also examined.
A detailed understanding of the relationship between the organization of reactant species on surfaces and the observed kinetics of surface reactions is the focus of this research project. An understanding of the connection between reactant ordering and kinetics promises insights into the function of catalytic materials, and the selectivity of their operation. This information is fundamental to the understanding of a number of important heterogenous catalytic processes, with significant industrial application.
