The Catalytic Nanodiode: Detecting Continous Electron Flow atOxide-Metal Interfaces Generated by a Gas-Phase Exothermic Reaction

Journal Article · Tue Oct 31 04:00:00 EST 2006 · Journal of Physical Chemistry B

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1002/cphc.200600056· OSTI ID:919826

Park, Jeong Young; Somorjai, Gabor A

Continuous flow of ballistic charge carriers is generated by an exothermic chemical reaction and detected using the catalytic metal-semiconductor Schottky diode. We obtained a hot electron current for several hours using two types of catalytic nanodiodes, Pt/TiO2 or Pt/GaN, during carbon monoxide oxidation at pressures of 100 Torr of O2 and 40 Torr of CO at 413-573 K. This result reveals that the chemical energy of an exothermic catalytic reaction is directly converted into hot electrons flux in the catalytic nanodiode. By heating the nanodiodes in He, we could measure the thermoelectric current which is in the opposite direction to the flow of the hot electron current. The chemicurrent is well correlated with the turnover rate of CO oxidation, which is separately measured with gas chromatography. The influence of the flow of hot charge carriers on the chemistry at the oxide-metal interface, and the turnover rate in the chemical reaction are discussed.

• Research Organization: Ernest Orlando Lawrence Berkeley NationalLaboratory, Berkeley, CA (US)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE Director, Office of Science. Office of Basic EnergySciences. Materials Science and Engineering Division
• DOE Contract Number: AC02-05CH11231
• OSTI ID: 919826
• Report Number(s): LBNL--59545
• Journal Information: Journal of Physical Chemistry B, Journal Name: Journal of Physical Chemistry B Journal Issue: 40 Vol. 110; ISSN 1089-5647; ISSN JPCBFK
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
CARBON MONOXIDE
CHARGE CARRIERS
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CHEMISTRY
ELECTRONS
GAS CHROMATOGRAPHY
HEATING
OXIDATION