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Title: Reactivity of Transition Metals (Pd, Pt, Cu, Ag, Au) toward Molecular Hydrogen Dissociation: Extended Surfaces versus Particles Supported on TiC(001) or Small Is Not Always Better and Large Is Not Always Bad

Journal Article · · The Journal of Physical Chemistry C
OSTI ID:1040497

The reactivity of Pd{sub 4}, Pt{sub 4}, Cu{sub 4}, Ag{sub 4}, and Au{sub 4} clusters supported on TiC(001) toward molecular hydrogen dissociation has been studied by means of density functional based theory and periodic models and compared to that of the (111) and (001) surfaces. Pd{sub 4} and Pt{sub 4} interact rather strongly with the TiC(001) substrate, but the interaction of molecular hydrogen with the Pd{sub 4}/TiC and Pt{sub 4}/TiC systems is also very strong. As a consequence of the substantial admetal {leftrightarrow} carbide interactions, the adsorbed H{sub 2} molecule becomes more difficult to dissociate than on the corresponding extended (111) and (001) surfaces. Here, having a small supported particle does not lead to an enhanced chemical activity. On the contrary, for the Cu{sub 4}/TiC, Ag{sub 4}/TiC, and Au{sub 4}/TiC systems the combination of the small size of the particle and the polarization induced by the underlying carbide facilitates the dissociation of the hydrogen molecule with respect to the case of the extended surfaces. Here, the reduced size effectively enhances the activity of the supported particle. Thus, our results for the M(111), M(100), and M{sub 4}/TiC(001) systems show the complex interplay that can take place among the nature of the admetal, particle size effects, and support interactions.

Research Organization:
Brookhaven National Lab. (BNL), Upton, NY (United States). National Synchrotron Light Source
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE SC OFFICE OF SCIENCE (SC)
DOE Contract Number:
DE-AC02-98CH10886
OSTI ID:
1040497
Report Number(s):
BNL-94850-2011-JA; R&D Project: CO-009; KC0302010; TRN: US201210%%673
Journal Information:
The Journal of Physical Chemistry C, Vol. 115, Issue 23; ISSN 1932-7447
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English