Search

Research was conducted to examine the adsorption of the formate species yielded by dissociative adsorption of formic acid on TiO2(110) using combined Fourier transform reflection-absorption IR spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The method was shown to have the advantages of intrinsic resolution for surface vibrational spectroscopy. The interdependence of the two adsorbed formate species offer an explanation for the complex activity seen for several catalytic reactions of formic acid over titania.

Research was conducted to examine the epitaxial growth of CdTe bilayers electrodeposited onto Au single-crystal surfaces using in situ scanning tunneling microscopy. Alternate reductive underpotential deposition (UPD) of Cd and Te and the electrochemical atomic layer epitaxy method were used to generate the films. Results indicate that the growth of the bilayer is dominated by the requirement to achieve stoichiometry and the initial coverage of the Te UPD layer is of overriding importance during the initial growth phase.

The application of a novel method to the high-throughput synthesis and screening of thin film materials and its application to the discovery of electrocatalysts are reported. The results have displayed an enhancement in activity for a range of PtPd alloy compositions over either of the pure elements and have also demonstrated the potential of the methodology for the discovery and optimization of electrocatalysts for a wide range of applications.

Thermal and chemical treatment of metallo-organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD)-prepared Rh and Pd model catalysts, supported on TiO2{110}, lead to the formation of carbon residues that are oxidized to CO at elevated temperatures. Observations are discussed in terms of the mobility of surface oxygen species on TiO2{110}, metal- support interactions, and the effect of Cl incorporation into the Tio2 substrate.

We report the application of a new method for the high-throughput synthesis and screening of thin film materials and its application to the discovery of electrocatalysts. Results are presented for the PtPdAu ternary alloy system with respect to activity for oxygen reduction. The results reveal an enhancement in activity for a range of PtPd alloy compositions over either of the pure elements. An optimum composition range of ternary alloys with significant activity was also identified. A correlation was also investigated between the surface reduction potential and the activity for oxygen reduction in both binary and ternary alloys. The results demonstrate the potential of the methodology for the discovery and optimization of electrocatalysts for a wide range of applications.