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Title: Theory of the reaction dynamics of small molecules on metal surfaces

Abstract

The objective of this project has been to develop realistic theoretical models for gas-surface interactions, with a focus on processes important in heterogeneous catalysis. The dissociative chemisorption of a molecule on a metal is a key step in many catalyzed reactions, and is often the rate-limiting step. We have explored the dissociative chemisorption of H2, H2O and CH4 on a variety of metal surfaces. Most recently, our extensive studies of methane dissociation on Ni and Pt surfaces have fully elucidated its dependence on translational energy, vibrational state and surface temperature, providing the first accurate comparisons with experimental data. We have explored Eley-Rideal and hot atom reactions of H atoms with H- and C-covered metal surfaces. H atom interactions with graphite have also been explored, including both sticking and Eley-Rideal recombination processes. Again, our methods made it possible to explain several experiments studying these reactions. The sticking of atoms on metal surfaces has also been studied. To help elucidate the experiments that study these processes, we examine how the reaction dynamics depend upon the nature of the molecule-metal interaction, as well as experimental variables such as substrate temperature, beam energy, angle of impact, and the internal states of the molecules. Electronicmore » structure methods based on Density Functional Theory are used to compute each molecule-metal potential energy surface. Both time-dependent quantum scattering techniques and quasi-classical methods are used to examine the reaction or scattering dynamics. Much of our effort has been directed towards developing improved quantum methods that can accurately describe reactions, as well as include the effects of substrate temperature (lattice vibration).« less

Authors:
 [1]
  1. Univ. of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA (United States)
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Univ. of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES)
OSTI Identifier:
1323138
Report Number(s):
DOE-UMASS-13744
DOE Contract Number:  
FG02-87ER13744
Resource Type:
Technical Report
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY; 38 RADIATION CHEMISTRY, RADIOCHEMISTRY, AND NUCLEAR CHEMISTRY

Citation Formats

Jackson, Bret. Theory of the reaction dynamics of small molecules on metal surfaces. United States: N. p., 2016. Web. doi:10.2172/1323138.
Jackson, Bret. Theory of the reaction dynamics of small molecules on metal surfaces. United States. https://doi.org/10.2172/1323138
Jackson, Bret. 2016. "Theory of the reaction dynamics of small molecules on metal surfaces". United States. https://doi.org/10.2172/1323138. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1323138.
@article{osti_1323138,
title = {Theory of the reaction dynamics of small molecules on metal surfaces},
author = {Jackson, Bret},
abstractNote = {The objective of this project has been to develop realistic theoretical models for gas-surface interactions, with a focus on processes important in heterogeneous catalysis. The dissociative chemisorption of a molecule on a metal is a key step in many catalyzed reactions, and is often the rate-limiting step. We have explored the dissociative chemisorption of H2, H2O and CH4 on a variety of metal surfaces. Most recently, our extensive studies of methane dissociation on Ni and Pt surfaces have fully elucidated its dependence on translational energy, vibrational state and surface temperature, providing the first accurate comparisons with experimental data. We have explored Eley-Rideal and hot atom reactions of H atoms with H- and C-covered metal surfaces. H atom interactions with graphite have also been explored, including both sticking and Eley-Rideal recombination processes. Again, our methods made it possible to explain several experiments studying these reactions. The sticking of atoms on metal surfaces has also been studied. To help elucidate the experiments that study these processes, we examine how the reaction dynamics depend upon the nature of the molecule-metal interaction, as well as experimental variables such as substrate temperature, beam energy, angle of impact, and the internal states of the molecules. Electronic structure methods based on Density Functional Theory are used to compute each molecule-metal potential energy surface. Both time-dependent quantum scattering techniques and quasi-classical methods are used to examine the reaction or scattering dynamics. Much of our effort has been directed towards developing improved quantum methods that can accurately describe reactions, as well as include the effects of substrate temperature (lattice vibration).},
doi = {10.2172/1323138},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/1323138}, journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Fri Sep 09 00:00:00 EDT 2016},
month = {Fri Sep 09 00:00:00 EDT 2016}
}