Comment on "High pressure adsorbate structures studied by scanning tunneling microscopy: CO on Pt(111) in equilibrium with the gas phase"

CO organization at ambient pressure on stepped Pt surfaces: first principles modeling accelerated by neural networks

Step and kink sites at Pt surfaces have crucial importance in catalysis. We employ a high dimensional neural network potential (HDNNP) trained using first-principles calculations to determine the adsorption structure of CO under ambient conditions (T = 300 K and P = 1 atm) on these surfaces. To thoroughly explore the potential energy surface (PES), we use a modified basin hopping method. We utilize the explored PES to identify the adsorbate structures and show that under the considered conditions several low free energy structures exist. Under the considered temperature and pressure conditions, the step edge (or kink) is totally occupied by on-top CO molecules. We show that the step structure and the structure of CO molecules on the step dictate the arrangement of CO molecules on the lower terrace. On surfaces with (111) steps, like Pt(553), CO forms quasi-hexagonal structures on the terrace with the top site preferred, with on average two top site CO for one multiply bonded CO, while in contrast surfaces with (100) steps, like Pt(557), present a majority of multiply bonded CO on their terrace. Short terraced surfaces, like Pt(643), with square (100) steps that are broken by kink sites constrain the CO arrangement parallel to the step edge. Overall, this effort provides detailed analysis on the influence of the step edge structure, kink sites, and terrace width on the organization of CO molecules on non-reconstructed stepped surfaces, yielding initial structures for understanding restructuring events driven by CO at high coverages and ambient pressure.

Operando Surface Characterization on Catalytic and Energy Materials from Single Crystals to Nanoparticles

Modern surface science faces two major challenges, a materials gap and a pressure gap. While studies on single crystal surface in ultrahigh vacuum have uncovered the atomic and electronic structures of the surface, the materials and environmental conditions of commercial catalysis are much more complicated, both in the structure of the materials and in the accessible pressure range of analysis instruments. Model systems and operando surface techniques have been developed to bridge these gaps. In this Review, we highlight the current trends in the development of the surface characterization techniques and methodologies in more realistic environments, with emphasis on recent research efforts at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology. We show principles and applications of the microscopic and spectroscopic surface techniques at ambient pressure that were used for the characterization of atomic structure, electronic structure, charge transport, and the mechanical properties of catalytic and energy materials. Ambient pressure scanning tunneling microscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy allow us to observe the surface restructuring that occurs during oxidation, reduction, and catalytic processes. In addition, we introduce the ambient pressure atomic force microscopy that revealed the morphological, mechanical, and charge transport properties that occur during the catalytic and energy conversion processes. Hot electron detection enables the monitoring of catalytic reactions and electronic excitations on the surface. Overall, the information on the nature of catalytic reactions obtained with operando spectroscopic and microscopic techniques may bring breakthroughs in some of the global energy and environmental problems the world is facing.

Surface science under reaction conditions: CO oxidation on Pt and Pd model catalysts

Application of surface-science techniques, such as XPS, SXRD, STM, and IR spectroscopy under catalytic reactions conditions yield new structural and chemical information. Recent experiments focusing on CO oxidation over Pt and Pd model catalysts were reviewed.

Operando chemistry of catalyst surfaces during catalysis

The chemistry of a catalyst surface during catalysis is crucial for a fundamental understanding of the mechanisms of a catalytic reaction performed on the catalyst in the gas or liquid phase.

Investigating the coverage dependent behaviour of CO on Gd/Pt(111)

The coverage dependent behaviour of CO on a strained Pt surface has been studied using in ultra high vacuum and using density functional theory.

Ru-Pt core-shell nanoparticles for preferential oxidation of carbon monoxide in hydrogen

Most of the world's hydrogen supply is currently obtained by reforming hydrocarbons. 'Reformate' hydrogen contains significant quantities of CO that poison current hydrogen fuel-cell devices. Catalysts are needed to remove CO from hydrogen through selective oxidation. Here, we report first-principles-guided synthesis of a nanoparticle catalyst comprising a Ru core covered with an approximately 1-2-monolayer-thick shell of Pt atoms. The distinct catalytic properties of these well-characterized core-shell nanoparticles were demonstrated for preferential CO oxidation in hydrogen feeds and subsequent hydrogen light-off. For H2 streams containing 1,000 p.p.m. CO, H2 light-off is complete by 30 (composite function)C, which is significantly better than for traditional PtRu nano-alloys (85 (composite function)C), monometallic mixtures of nanoparticles (93 (composite function)C) and pure Pt particles (170 ( composite function)C). Density functional theory studies suggest that the enhanced catalytic activity for the core-shell nanoparticle originates from a combination of an increased availability of CO-free Pt surface sites on the Ru@Pt nanoparticles and a hydrogen-mediated low-temperature CO oxidation process that is clearly distinct from the traditional bifunctional CO oxidation mechanism.

Adsorption and co-adsorption of ethylene and carbon monoxide on silica-supported monodisperse Pt nanoparticles: volumetric adsorption and infrared spectroscopy studies

The adsorption of carbon monoxide and ethylene, and their sequential adsorption, was studied over a series of Pt/SBA-15 catalysts with monodisperse particle sizes ranging from 1.7 to 7.1 nm by diffuse-reflectance infrared spectroscopy and chemisorption. Gas adsorption was dependent on the Pt particle size, temperature, and sequence of gas exposure. Adsorption of CO at room temperature on Pt/SBA-15 gives rise to a spectroscopic feature assigned to the C-O stretch: nu(CO) = 2075 cm-1 (1.9 nm); 2079 cm-1 (2.9 nm); 2082 cm-1 (3.6 nm); and 2090 cm-1 (7.1 nm). The intensity of the signal decreased in a sigmoidal fashion with increasing temperature, thereby providing semiquantitative surface coverage information. Adsorption of ethylene on Pt/SBA-15 gave rise to spectroscopic features at approximately 1340, approximately 1420, and approximately 1500 cm-1 assigned to ethylidyne, di-sigma-bonded ethylene, and pi-bonded ethylene, respectively. The ratio of these surface species is highly dependent on the Pt particle size. At room temperature, Pt particles stabilize ethylidyne as well as di-sigma- and pi-bonded ethylene; however, ethylidyne predominated on the surfaces of larger particles. Ethylidyne was the only identifiable species at 403 K, with its formation being more facile on larger particles. Co-adsorption experiments reveal that the composition of the surface layer is dependent on the order of exposure to gases. Exposure of a C2H4-covered Pt surface to CO resulted in an approximately 50% decrease in chemisorbed CO compared to a fresh Pt surface. The nu(CO) appeared at 2050 cm-1 on Pt/SBA-15 pretreated with C2H4 at room temperature. The di-sigma-bonded and pi-bonded species are the most susceptible to displacement from the surface by CO. The formation of ethylidyne appeared to be less sensitive to the presence of adsorbed carbon monoxide, especially on larger particles. Upon exposure of C2H4 to a CO-covered Pt surface, little irreversible uptake occurred due to nearly 100% site blocking. These results demonstrate that carbon monoxide competes directly with ethylene for surface sites, which will have direct implications on the poisoning of the heterogeneously catalyzed conversion of hydrocarbons.

Bridging the pressure gap in model systems for heterogeneous catalysis with high-pressure scanning tunneling microscopy

A high-pressure scanning tunneling microscope (HP-STM) enabling imaging with atomic resolution over the entire pressure range from ultrahigh vacuum (UHV) to one bar has been developed. By means of this HP-STM we have studied the adsorption of hydrogen on Cu(110), CO on Pt(110) and Pt(111), and NO on Pd(111) at high pressures. For all of these adsorption systems we find that the adsorption structures formed at high pressures are identical to high-coverage structures formed at lower pressures and temperatures. We thus conclude that for these systems the so-called pressure gap can be bridged, i.e. the results obtained under conventional surface science conditions can be extrapolated to higher pressures. Finally, we use the HP-STM to image the CO-induced phase separation of a Au/Ni(111) surface alloy in real time, whereby demonstrating the importance of catalyst stability in the study of bimetallic systems.

Adsorption Isotherm of CO on Pt(111) Electrodes

We have determined, for the first time, the equilibrium CO coverage of Pt(111) electrodes at room temperature in 0.1 M H(2)SO(4) as a function of the CO partial pressure using CO-stripping cyclic voltammetry. Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy was used to confirm qualitatively the coverage values obtained.

The Adsorption Structure of NO on Pd(111) at High Pressures Studied by STM and DFT

Using a combination of scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) and density functional theory (DFT) calculations, we study the adsorption structure of NO on Pd(111) at pressures of up to 720 Torr. From atomically resolved STM images, we identify, at high pressures, only the (2 x 2)-3NO structure, which is identical with the highest NO-coverage structure found at low pressure and low temperature. DFT calculations confirm that the (2 x 2)-3NO structure is indeed the most stable adsorption structure at high pressures. Contrary to recent suggestions in the literature, we therefore conclude that we find no evidence for a (3 x 3)-7NO structure on Pd(111) at high NO pressure.

In-situ scanning tunneling microscopy of carbon monoxide adsorbed on Au(111) electrode

In-situ scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) coupled with cyclic voltammetry was used to examine the adsorption of carbon monoxide (CO) molecules on an ordered Au(111) electrode in 0.1 M HClO4. Molecular resolution STM revealed the formation of several commensurate CO adlattices, but the (9 x radical 3) structure eventually prevailed with time. The CO adlayer was completely electrooxidized to CO2 at 0.9 V versus RHE in CO-free 0.1 M HClO(4), as indicated by a broad and irreversible anodic peak which appeared at this potential in a positive potential sweep from 0.05 to 1.6 V. A maximal coverage of 0.3 was estimated for CO admolecules from the amount of charge involved in this feature. Real-time in-situ STM imaging allowed direct visualization of the adsorption process of CO on Au(111) at 0.1 V, showing the lifting of (radical 3 x 22) reconstruction of Au(111) and the formation of ordered CO adlattices. The (9 x radical 3) structure observed in CO-saturated perchloric acid has a coverage of 0.28, which is approximately equal to that determined from coulometry. Switching the potential from 0.1 to -0.1 V restored the reconstructed Au(111) with no change in the (9 x radical 3)-CO adlattice. However, the reconstructed Au(111) featured a pairwise corrugation pattern with two nearest pairs separated by 74 +/- 1 A, corresponding to a 14% increase from the ideal value of 65.6 A known for the ( radical 3 x 22) reconstruction. Molecular resolution STM further revealed that protrusions resulting from CO admolecules in the (9 x radical 3) structure exhibited distinctly different corrugation heights, suggesting that the CO molecules resided at different sites on Au(111). This ordered structure predominated in the potential range between 0.1 and 0.7 V; however, it was converted into new structures of (7 x radical 7) and ( radical 43 x 2 radical 13) on the unreconstructed Au(111) when the potential was held at 0.8 V for ca. 60 min. The coverage of CO adlayer decreased accordingly from 0.28 to 0.13 before it was completely removed from the Au(111) surface at more positive potentials.

Adsorbate-Geometry Specific Subsurface Relaxation in the CO/Pt(111) System

A dramatic multilayer substrate relaxation is observed for the (square root 19 x square root 19)-13CO adlayer phase on a Pt(111) electrode by surface X-ray scattering. Within the (square root 19 x square root 19) unit cell, a vertical expansion of 0.28 A was determined for the Pt atoms under near-top-site CO molecules, whereas only 0.04 A was found under near-bridge-site CO molecules. The lateral displacements involve small rotations toward more symmetric bonding. Both the expansions and rotations extend into the bulk with a decay length of 1.8 Pt layers. This nonuniform layer expansion, hitherto unseen, appears to be a manifestation of the differential stress induced by CO adsorption at different sites.