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Direct Visualization of Catalytically Active Sites at the FeO-Pt(111) Interface

Journal Article · · ACS Nano, 9(8):7804-7814

Within the area of surface science, one of the “holy grails” is to directly visualize a chemical reaction at the atomic scale. Whereas this goal has been reached by high-resolution scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) in a number of cases for reactions occurring at flat surfaces, such a direct view is often inhibited for reaction occurring at steps and interfaces. Here we have studied the CO oxidation reaction at the interface between ultrathin FeO islands and a Pt(111) support by in situ STM and density functional theory (DFT) calculations. Time-lapsed STM imaging on this inverse model catalyst in O2 and CO environments revealed catalytic activity occurring at the FeO-Pt(111) interface and directly showed that the Fe-edges host the catalytically most active sites for the CO oxidation reaction. This is an important result since previous evidence for the catalytic activity of the FeO-Pt(111) interface is essentially based on averaging techniques in conjunction with DFT calculations. The presented STM results are in accord with DFTþU calculations, in which we compare possible CO oxidation pathways on oxidized Fe-edges and O-edges. We found that the CO oxidation reaction is more favorable on the oxidized Fe-edges, both thermodynamically and kinetically.

Research Organization:
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), Richland, WA (US), Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory (EMSL)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE
DOE Contract Number:
AC05-76RL01830
OSTI ID:
1214063
Journal Information:
ACS Nano, 9(8):7804-7814, Journal Name: ACS Nano, 9(8):7804-7814
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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Cited By (13)

Fe Oxides on Ag Surfaces: Structure and Reactivity journal September 2016
Carbon Monoxide Oxidation on Metal-Supported Monolayer Oxide Films: Establishing Which Interface is Active journal January 2018
The Roles of Oxide Growth and Sub-Surface Facets in Oxygen Evolution Activity of Iridium and Its Impact on Electrolysis journal January 2019
Controlling the charge state of supported nanoparticles in catalysis: lessons from model systems journal January 2018
Immobilization of Pt Nanoparticles via Rapid and Reusable Electropolymerization of Dopamine on TiO 2 Nanotube Arrays for Reversible SERS Substrates and Nonenzymatic Glucose Sensors journal March 2017
Fe Oxides on Ag Surfaces: Structure and Reactivity text January 2017
Structural and electronic properties of Fe dopants in cobalt oxide nanoislands on Au(111) journal January 2019
Enhanced oxidation resistance of active nanostructures via dynamic size effect journal February 2017
Edge reactivity and water-assisted dissociation on cobalt oxide nanoislands journal January 2017
Stabilization of ultrathin (hydroxy)oxide films on transition metal substrates for electrochemical energy conversion journal May 2017
Carbon Monoxide Oxidation on Metal-Supported Monolayer Oxide Films: Establishing Which Interface is Active journal January 2018
Interface-confined triangular FeO x nanoclusters on Pt(111) journal December 2019
CO Oxidation at SnO2/Pt3Sn(111) Interfaces journal September 2018

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