Surface Science as a Basis for Understanding Heterogeneous Catalysis

Abstract

Surface Science provides new techniques of catalyst characterization on the molecular level and uncovers new phenomena that correlates with catalyst behavior. These include trends of reactivity and bonding across the periodic table; the observation that rough surfaces and defect sites have high reaction rates and more strongly bind the adsorbates; the reaction and chemisorption induced restructuring of metal surfaces; and the presence of a strongly chemisorbed overlayer during catalysis along with co-adsorbates that alter the rates of reactions. There is evidence from surface science studies of the cluster-like bonding of molecular adsorbates of thermal activation and the unique reactivity of oxide-metal interfaces. Correlations of catalytic reaction and surface science studies are providing new concepts and models of heterogeneous catalysis.