Low Barrier Carbon Induced CO Dissociation on Stepped Cu.

Using x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy we observe the breaking of the strong interatomic bond in molecular CO at low temperature on a stepped Cu surface. Since the electronic structure of Cu does not allow for the splitting of CO at such low temperatures it suggests that there may be a less obvious pathway for the process. Through x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy we can clearly identify products associated with the dissociation of CO and the subsequent formation of stable graphitic carbon on the surface. However, the dissociation of CO can be inhibited when the stepped Cu surface is kept clean from surface carbon. These observations imply that the reaction is driven by the presence of small amounts of weakly bound carbon at the surface. Density-functional theory calculations confirm that carbon atoms on a stepped Cu surface indeed are the preferred adsorption sites for CO, which increases the stabilization of CO on the surface and weakens the C-O bond. This results in the breaking of the C-O bond at the step edge via the Boudouard reaction (2CO(ads)→C(ads)+CO(2)) with a barrier of 0.71 eV.

Strong Influence of Coadsorbate Interaction on CO Desorption Dynamics on Ru(0001) Probed by Ultrafast X-Ray Spectroscopy and Ab Initio Simulations.

We show that coadsorbed oxygen atoms have a dramatic influence on the CO desorption dynamics from Ru(0001). In contrast to the precursor-mediated desorption mechanism on Ru(0001), the presence of surface oxygen modifies the electronic structure of Ru atoms such that CO desorption occurs predominantly via the direct pathway. This phenomenon is directly observed in an ultrafast pump-probe experiment using a soft x-ray free-electron laser to monitor the dynamic evolution of the valence electronic structure of the surface species. This is supported with the potential of mean force along the CO desorption path obtained from density-functional theory calculations. Charge density distribution and frozen-orbital analysis suggest that the oxygen-induced reduction of the Pauli repulsion, and consequent increase of the dative interaction between the CO 5σ and the charged Ru atom, is the electronic origin of the distinct desorption dynamics. Ab initio molecular dynamics simulations of CO desorption from Ru(0001) and oxygen-coadsorbed Ru(0001) provide further insights into the surface bond-breaking process.

Universal transition state scaling relations for (de)hydrogenation over transition metals.

We analyse the transition state energies for 249 hydrogenation/dehydrogenation reactions of atoms and simple molecules over close-packed and stepped surfaces and nanoparticles of transition metals using Density Functional Theory. Linear energy scaling relations are observed for the transition state structures leading to transition state scaling relations for all the investigated reactions. With a suitable choice of reference systems the transition state scaling relations form a universality class that can be approximated with one single linear relation describing the entire range of reactions over all types of surfaces and nanoclusters.

On the behavior of Brønsted-Evans-Polanyi relations for transition metal oxides.

Versatile Brønsted-Evans-Polanyi (BEP) relations are found from density functional theory for a wide range of transition metal oxides including rutiles and perovskites. For oxides, the relation depends on the type of oxide, the active site, and the dissociating molecule. The slope of the BEP relation is strongly coupled to the adsorbate geometry in the transition state. If it is final state-like the dissociative chemisorption energy can be considered as a descriptor for the dissociation. If it is initial state-like, on the other hand, the dissociative chemisorption energy is not suitable as descriptor for the dissociation. Dissociation of molecules with strong intramolecular bonds belong to the former and molecules with weak intramolecular bonds to the latter group. We show, for the prototype system La-perovskites, that there is a "cyclic" behavior in the transition state characteristics upon change of the active transition metal of the oxide.

Using scaling relations to understand trends in the catalytic activity of transition metals.

A method is developed to estimate the potential energy diagram for a full catalytic reaction for a range of late transition metals on the basis of a calculation (or an experimental determination) for a single metal. The method, which employs scaling relations between adsorption energies, is illustrated by calculating the potential energy diagram for the methanation reaction and ammonia synthesis for 11 different metals on the basis of results calculated for Ru. It is also shown that considering the free energy diagram for the reactions, under typical industrial conditions, provides additional insight into reactivity trends.

Real-Time Elucidation of Catalytic Pathways in CO Hydrogenation on Ru.

The direct elucidation of the reaction pathways in heterogeneous catalysis has been challenging due to the short-lived nature of reaction intermediates. Here, we directly measured on ultrafast time scales the initial hydrogenation steps of adsorbed CO on a Ru catalyst surface, which is known as the bottleneck reaction in syngas and CO2 reforming processes. We initiated the hydrogenation of CO with an ultrafast laser temperature jump and probed transient changes in the electronic structure using real-time X-ray spectroscopy. In combination with theoretical simulations, we verified the formation of CHO during CO hydrogenation.

Surface chemistry. Probing the transition state region in catalytic CO oxidation on Ru.

Femtosecond x-ray laser pulses are used to probe the carbon monoxide (CO) oxidation reaction on ruthenium (Ru) initiated by an optical laser pulse. On a time scale of a few hundred femtoseconds, the optical laser pulse excites motions of CO and oxygen (O) on the surface, allowing the reactants to collide, and, with a transient close to a picosecond (ps), new electronic states appear in the O K-edge x-ray absorption spectrum. Density functional theory calculations indicate that these result from changes in the adsorption site and bond formation between CO and O with a distribution of OC-O bond lengths close to the transition state (TS). After 1 ps, 10% of the CO populate the TS region, which is consistent with predictions based on a quantum oscillator model.

Scaling properties of adsorption energies for hydrogen-containing molecules on transition-metal surfaces.

Density functional theory calculations are presented for CHx, x=0,1,2,3, NHx, x=0,1,2, OHx, x=0,1, and SHx, x=0,1 adsorption on a range of close-packed and stepped transition-metal surfaces. We find that the adsorption energy of any of the molecules considered scales approximately with the adsorption energy of the central, C, N, O, or S atom, the scaling constant depending only on x. A model is proposed to understand this behavior. The scaling model is developed into a general framework for estimating the reaction energies for hydrogenation and dehydrogenation reactions.