Lithium adsorption on TiO2: studies with electron spectroscopies (MIES and UPS)

The adsorption of lithium atoms on rutile TiO₂(110) single crystals was studied with metastable‐induced electron spectroscopy (MIES) and ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy (UPS(HeI)) between 130 K and room temperature. Some auxiliary measurements on W(110) required for data interpretation are also reported. At 130 K ionic adsorption at titania prevails up to 0.3 monolayer equivalents (MLE) as judged from the weak Li(2s) emission in MIES for these exposures. The reduction of the Ti⁴⁺ cation is manifested by the growth of an occupied bandgap state in UPS: the alkali s‐electron is transferred to a near‐surface cation, thereby reducing it to Ti³⁺ 3d. The transfer of the s‐electron is responsible for the observed work function decrease up to ～0.5 MLE coverage. From the analysis of the UPS Ti³⁺ 3d signal, as well as from the Li(2s) emission, it is concluded that the degree of ionicity of the adsorbed Li decreases from 100% at 0.3 MLE to 40% at 0.7 MLE. Above 0.5 MLE the MIES spectra are dominated by an Li(2s)‐induced peak indicating the presence of Li with an at least partially filled 2s orbital. At temperatures above 160 K this peak is almost absent. Excluding Li desorption at these temperatures, we suggest that Li moves into or below the rutile TiO₂(110) surface above 160 K. Lithium insertion into the surface and intercalation are discussed. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Low temperature adsorption of CO on plycrystalline molybdenum,studied by X-ray and vacuum UV photoelectron spectroscopy

The adsorption of CO on a polycrystalline Mo film at ～80°K has been studied by X-ray and UV photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS and UPS). Two adsorption states were revealed by XPS, the ratio of the O(1s) intensities from these two states was about 4 : 1 at saturation coverage (P_CO ～ 10^?6 torr). Broad resonances corresponding to the MO's of CO(ads) are observed in the UPS spectrum. On warming to room temperature chemical shifts of about 1.2 and 1.9 eV to lower binding energies were observed for the O(1s) and C(1s) signals of the major CO(ads) component. The minor state desorbed as anticipated from previous adsorption studies. The XPS spectrum observed at room temperature was virtually identical to that previously reported for CO adsorbed at room temperature. On warming the ‘orbital’ of adsorbed CO revealed by UPS is replaced by a structure apparently characteristic of carbon and oxygen atoms. These results suggest that low temperature adsorption takes place predominantly into a molecular state which on warming to room temperature dissociates.     

Mechanism of CO oxidation in excess H2 over CuO/CeO2 catalysts: ESR and TPD studies

The oxidation of CO with oxygen over (0.25–6.4)% CuO/CeO₂ catalysts in excess H₂ is studied. CO conversion increases and the temperature range of the reaction decreases by 100 K as the CuO content is raised. The maximal CO conversion, 98.5%, is achieved on 6.4% CuO/CeO₂ at 150°C. At T > 150°C, the CO conversion decreases as a result of the deactivation of part of the active sites because of the dissociative adsorption of hydrogen. CO is efficiently adsorbed on the oxidized catalyst to form CO-Cu⁺ carbonyls on Cu₂O clusters and is oxidized by the oxygen of these clusters, whereas it is neither adsorbed nor oxidized on Cu⁰ of the reduced catalysts. The activity of the catalysts is recovered after the dissociative adsorption of O₂ on Cu⁰ at T ～ 150°C. The activation energies of CO, CO₂, and H₂O desorption are estimated, and the activation energy of CO adsorption yielding CO-Cu⁺ carbonyls is calculated in the framework of the Langmuir-Hinshelwood model.     

The initial oxidation of polycrystalline thorium

The initial oxidation of clean, polycrystalline α‐Th from background CO/CO₂ and saturation of the Th surface by O₂ has been examined by angle‐resolved Auger electron spectroscopy (ARAES) and time of flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (ToF‐SIMS). Following dissociative adsorption of very low doses of background CO/CO₂ (<1 L), the carbon surface population was dominant and spontaneously formed thorium carbide. The accompanying oxygen population increased at a rate roughly one‐third that of the carbon, suggesting simultaneous oxygen incorporation into the bulk. To further corroborate the surface kinetics of adsorbed oxygen, O₂ was admitted, following heating and sputter cleaning of the Th; some oxygen atoms continued to diffuse into the bulk until formation of stoichiometric ThO₂ at ～37 L. ARAES measurements showed an oxygen concentration gradient in the near‐surface region confirming rapid oxygen incorporation at low doses; however, once the surface is saturated, virtually no variation in the oxygen intensity is observed. AES and ToF‐SIMS depth profiling revealed complete oxide formation to a depth of 2 nm. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Methane Reforming with Carbon Dioxide on the Co/α-Al2O3 Catalyst: The Formation, State, and Transformations of Surface Carbon

The interactions of oxidized and reduced Co/-Al₂O₃ (4 wt % CoO) with H₂, CH₄, CO₂, and O₂ and their mixtures are studied in flow and pulse regimes using a setup involving a DSC-111 differential scanning calorimeter and a system for chromatographic analyses. It is shown that treatment with hydrogen at 700°C results in the partial reduction of cobalt oxide to Co. Methane poorly reacts with the oxidized catalyst but readily reacts with the reduced catalyst to form H₂ and surface carbon. The initial surface carbon transforms into other forms, which block the cobalt surface to different extents and differ in the heats of reaction with CO₂. Carbon dioxide may react with the surface carbon to form CO (rapidly) and with metallic Co to form CO and CoO (slowly). Thus, the main route of methane reforming with carbon dioxide on Co/-Al₂O₃ is the dissociative adsorption of CH₄ to form surface carbon and H₂ and the reaction of surface carbon with CO₂ to form CO via the reverse Boudouard reaction.     

Ternary Sn‐Ti‐O Electrocatalyst Boosts the Stability and Energy Efficiency of CO2 Reduction

Simultaneously improving energy efficiency (EE) and material stability in electrochemical CO₂ conversion remains an unsolved challenge. Among a series of ternary Sn‐Ti‐O electrocatalysts, 3D ordered mesoporous (3DOM) Sn_0.3Ti_0.7O₂ achieves a trade‐off between active‐site exposure and structural stability, demonstrating up to 71.5 % half‐cell EE over 200 hours, and a 94.5 % Faradaic efficiency for CO at an overpotential as low as 430 mV. DFT and X‐ray absorption fine structure analyses reveal an electron density reconfiguration in the Sn‐Ti‐O system. A downshift of the orbital band center of Sn and a charge depletion of Ti collectively facilitate the dissociative adsorption of the desired intermediate COOH* for CO formation. It is also beneficial in maintaining a local alkaline environment to suppress H₂ and formate formation, and in stabilizing oxygen atoms to prolong durability. These findings provide a new strategy in materials design for efficient CO₂ conversion and beyond.     

The interaction of CO2 and CO with Fe‐doped SrTiO3(100) surfaces

The interaction of CO₂ and CO with 0.013 at.% Fe‐doped SrTiO₃(100) was investigated in situ with Metastable Induced Electron Spectroscopy (MIES) and XPS at room temperature. To clear up the influence of surface defects, cleaned and sputtered SrTiO₃ surfaces were investigated. Sputtering results in the breaking of Ti? O bonds in the surface and the formation of oxygen‐related defects as well as reduced titanium on the surface. Cleaned SrTiO₃ surfaces do neither interact with CO₂ nor with CO. Sputtered surfaces show a CO formation during CO₂ exposure and—to a lesser extent—during CO exposure. The CO groups can be detected very well with MIES because of its extreme surface sensitivity. With XPS, the characteristic carbonate peak shift of the C 1s orbitals can be detected. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

MIES and UPS(HeI) studies on reduced TiO2(110)

We have studied reduced TiO₂(110) surfaces by combining metastable impact electron spectroscopy (MIES) and UPS(HeI). The reduced Ti species were preparation‐induced: their number density was modified either by adsorption of K atoms or by a combined annealing/oxygen exposure procedure. The emission from the bandgap state (binding energy 0.9 eV), caused by reduced Ti³⁺ 3d species, was monitored. Bandgap emission is seen clearly with UPS(HeI) and thus can be used to monitor the number density of the near‐surface reduced species. A corresponding spectral structure cannot be seen with MIES. We propose that the excess charge density introduced either by preparation‐induced oxygen vacancies or by K adsorption is delocalized over several surface and subsurface Ti sites; this, together with the partial shielding of the reduced Ti species, prevents detection of the reduced Ti species with MIES. The re‐oxidation and restructuring of the reduced TiO₂(110) surface, caused by simultaneous oxygen exposure and annealing, was studied at temperatures between 400 and 770 K, again by recording the Ti³⁺ 3d emission (0.9 eV bandgap state) with UPS(HeI). The surface can be completely re‐oxidized by oxygen exposure at any selected annealing temperature in the range given above. Morphology changes, leading to a partially reduced surface, take place when the re‐oxidized surface is further annealed at T > 600 K under reducing conditions. The results give support to the assumption that the re‐oxidation is caused by the growth of additional titania whereby the Ti stems from the bulk and the oxygen originates from the gas. The restructuring of the re‐oxidized surface upon annealing under reducing conditions appears to be due to diffusion of Ti interstitials to the surface. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Highly Ordered Mesoporous Cobalt-Copper Composite Oxides for Preferential CO Oxidation

Highly ordered mesoporous cobalt-copper composite oxides were prepared by the nanocasting method with various Co and Cu ratios. The catalysts obtained were characterized by X-ray diffraction, N₂ adsorption–desorption, H₂-temperature programmed reduction, CO-temperature programmed desorption and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. All of the catalysts had uniform mesopores and high surface areas. The distinct catalytic properties of these well-characterized mesoporous materials were demonstrated for preferential CO oxidation. It is found that the mesoporous cobalt-copper composite oxides, exhibited the higher catalytic activity for CO conversion and selectivity compared with the mesoporous Co₃O₄ and mesoporous CuO. Among these catalysts the mesoporous cobalt-copper catalyst with Co:Cu molar ratio of 70:30, shows the best catalytic activity and the broadest operating temperature “window” for the high CO conversion in the range of 125–200^oC. The higher catalytic activity was attributed to the higher CO adsorption and oxygen vacancies.     

Experimental study of intermediates and wave phenomena in co oxidation on platinum metal (Pt,Pd) surfaces

The mechanism of catalytic CO oxidation on Pt(100) and Pd(110) single-crystal surfaces and on Pt and Pd sharp tip (～10³ Å) surfaces has been studied experimentally by temperature-programmed reaction, temperature desorption spectroscopy, field electron microscopy, and molecular beam techniques. Using the density functional theory the equilibrium states and stretching vibrations of oxygen atoms adsorbed on the Pt(100) surface have been calculated. The character of the mixed adsorption layer was established by high resolution electron energy loss spectroscopy—molecular adsorption (O_2ads, CO_ads) on Pt(100)-hex and dissociative adsorption (O_ads, CO_ads) on Pt(100)-(1×1). The origin of kinetic self-oscillations for the isothermal oxidation of CO in situ was studied in detail on the Pt and Pd tips by field electron microscopy. The initiating role of the reversible phase transition (hex) ? (1 × 1) of the Pt(100) nanoplane in the generation of regular chemical waves was established. The origination of self-oscillations and waves on the Pt(100) nanoplane was shown to be caused by the spontaneous periodical transition of the metal from the low-active state (hex) to the highly active catalytic state (1 × 1). A relationship between the reactivity of oxygen atoms (O_ads) and the concentration of CO_ads molecules was revealed for the Pd(110) surface. Studies using the isotope label ¹⁸O_ads demonstrated that the low-temperature formation of CO₂ at 150 K is a result of the reaction of CO with the highly reactive state of atomic oxygen (O_ads). The possibility of the low-temperature oxidation of CO via interaction with the so-called “hot” oxygen atoms (O_hot) appearing on the surface at the instant of dissociation of O_2ads molecules was studied by the molecular beam techniques.     

Ternary Sn-Ti-O Electrocatalyst Boosts the Stability and Energy Efficiency of CO2 Reduction

Simultaneously improving energy efficiency (EE) and material stability in electrochemical CO₂ conversion remains an unsolved challenge. Among a series of ternary Sn-Ti-O electrocatalysts, 3D ordered mesoporous (3DOM) Sn_0.3Ti_0.7O₂ achieves a trade-off between active-site exposure and structural stability, demonstrating up to 71.5 % half-cell EE over 200 hours, and a 94.5 % Faradaic efficiency for CO at an overpotential as low as 430 mV. DFT and X-ray absorption fine structure analyses reveal an electron density reconfiguration in the Sn-Ti-O system. A downshift of the orbital band center of Sn and a charge depletion of Ti collectively facilitate the dissociative adsorption of the desired intermediate COOH* for CO formation. It is also beneficial in maintaining a local alkaline environment to suppress H₂ and formate formation, and in stabilizing oxygen atoms to prolong durability. These findings provide a new strategy in materials design for efficient CO₂ conversion and beyond.     

Kinetic Evidence for the Influence of Subsurface Oxygen on Palladium Surfaces Towards CO Oxidation at High Temperatures

Transient state kinetics of the catalytic oxidation of CO with O₂ on Pd‐surfaces has been measured under isothermal conditions by using a molecular beam approach. Systematic studies were carried out as a function of reaction temperature and CO+O₂ composition. With sufficient kinetic evidence, we have demonstrated the positive influence of subsurface oxygen towards CO‐adsorption and oxidation to CO₂ at high temperatures (600–900 K) on Pd‐surfaces, and the likely electronic nature of the surface changes with oxygen in the subsurface. These studies also provide a direct proof for CO‐adsorption with a significantly reactive sticking coefficient at high temperatures on Pd‐surfaces exhibiting a significant subsurface O‐coverage.     

2‐Aminobenzenethiol‐Functionalized Silver‐Decorated Nanoporous Silicon Photoelectrodes for Selective CO2 Reduction

A molecularly thin layer of 2‐aminobenzenethiol (2‐ABT) was adsorbed onto nanoporous p‐type silicon (b‐Si) photocathodes decorated with Ag nanoparticles (Ag NPs). The addition of 2‐ABT alters the balance of the CO₂ reduction and hydrogen evolution reactions, resulting in more selective and efficient reduction of CO₂ to CO. The 2‐ABT adsorbate layer was characterized by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and modeled by density functional theory calculations. Ex situ X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) of the 2‐ABT modified electrodes suggests that surface Ag atoms are in the +1 oxidation state and coordinated to 2‐ABT via Ag?S bonds. Under visible light illumination, the onset potential for CO₂ reduction was ?50 mV vs. RHE, an anodic shift of about 150 mV relative to a sample without 2‐ABT. The adsorption of 2‐ABT lowers the overpotentials for both CO₂ reduction and hydrogen evolution. A comparison of electrodes functionalized with different aromatic thiols and amines suggests that the primary role of the thiol group in 2‐ABT is to anchor the NH₂ group near the Ag surface, where it serves to bind CO₂ and also to assist in proton transfer.     

The Adsorption of Oxygen and Coadsorption of CO and Oxygen on Structurally Well‐Defined PdAg Surface Alloys

The dissociative interaction of oxygen with structurally well‐defined monolayer Pd_xAg_1?x/Pd(111) surface alloys of different compositions, with well‐known distributions of the respective surface atoms (A. K. Engstfeld et al., Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys. 2012 , 14, 10754–10761), and the coadsorption of/reaction with CO on oxygen pre‐covered surfaces were studied by high‐resolution electron energy loss spectroscopy (HREELS) and temperature‐programmed desorption/reaction spectroscopy (TPD/TPR). The impact of geometric ensemble effects as well as electronic ligand and strain effects on the adsorption and reaction behaviour of the respective species on the bimetallic surfaces is elucidated and compared with related systems such as CO adsorption on similar surfaces and oxygen adsorption on a Pd₆₇Ag₃₃(111) bulk alloy surface. The data show a clear dominance of ensemble effects on the oxygen adsorption and CO coadsorption behaviour, with oxygen adsorption limited to threefold‐hollow sites on Pd₃ sites, while the combined electronic effects, as evident from modifications in the adsorption and reaction characteristics on the Pd sites, are small.     

Photoelectron spectroscopic studies of the adsorption of CO and CO2 on nickel,platinum and copper

The adsorption of CO and CO₂ on platinum, nickel and copper was studied by X-ray and UV photoelectron spectroscopy. The results indicate that CO₂ is physisorbed on platinum and copper and that the bonding of CO on all three metals involves the metal d-electrons and particularly the 5σ level of CO. It is suggested that the energy required to promote a copper d-electron to an unfilled level above the Fermi energy is responsible for the small heat of adsorption of CO on copper.     

NO在Cu(111)表面吸附和分解的XPS和TPD研究：不同氧物种的影响

利用X射线光电子能谱和程序升温脱附谱研究了NO在清洁和预吸附氧的Cu(111)表面上的吸附和反应.通过改变NO的暴露量和退火温度,在Cu(111)表面可以制备出不同种类的化学吸附氧物种,其O 1s的结合能分别位于531.0 eV (O₅₃₁)和529.7 eV (O₅₂₉).表面O₅₃₁物种的存在对NO的不同吸附状态有着显著影响,同时使得大部分NO吸附分子(NO(a))在加热过程中发生分解并以N₂O和N₂形式脱附; 而表面O₅₂₉物种对NO(a)的解离脱附有着明显的抑制作用.相对于O₅₃₁物种来说,O₅₂₉物种对NO吸附表现出更强的位阻效应.上述结果表明,NO在Cu(111) 表面的吸附和分解行为与预吸附氧物种的种类和覆盖度密切相关.     

Unravelling the Promotional Effect of La2O3 in Pt/La-TiO2 Catalysts for CO2 Hydrogenation

This work reports the preparation of a La₂O₃-modified Pt/TiO₂ (Pt/La-TiO₂) hybrid through an excess-solution impregnation method and its application for CO₂ hydrogenation catalysis. The Pt/La-TiO₂ catalyst is characterized by XRD, H₂ temperature-programmed reduction (TPR), TEM, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Raman, EPR, and N₂ sorption measurements. The Pt/La-TiO₂ composite starts to catalyze the CO₂ conversion reaction at 220 °C, which is 30 °C lower than the Pt/TiO₂ catalyst. The generation of CH₄ and CO of Pt/La-TiO₂ is 1.6 and 1.4 times greater than that of Pt/TiO₂. The CO₂ temperature-programmed desorption (TPD) analysis confirms the strengthened CO₂ adsorption on Pt/La-TiO₂. Moreover, the in situ FTIR experiments demonstrate that the enhanced CO₂ adsorption of Pt/La-TiO₂ facilitates the formation of the active Pt–CO intermediate and subsequently boosts the evolution of CH₄ and CO. The cycling tests reveal that Pt/La-TiO₂ shows reinforced stability for the CO₂ hydrogenation reaction because the La species can prevent Pt nanoparticles (NPs) from sintering. This work may provide some guidance on the development new rare-metal-modified hybrid catalysts for CO₂ fixation.     

CO Blocking of D2 Dissociative Adsorption on Ru(0001)

The influence of pre‐adsorbed CO on the dissociative adsorption of D₂ on Ru(0001) is studied by molecular‐beam techniques. We determine the initial dissociation probability of D₂ as a function of its kinetic energy for various CO pre‐coverages between 0.00 and 0.67 monolayers (ML) at a surface temperature of 180 K. The results indicate that CO blocks D₂ dissociation and perturbs the local surface reactivity up to the nearest‐neighbour Ru atoms. Non‐activated sticking and dissociation become less important with increasing CO coverage, and vanish at θ_CO≈0.33 ML. In addition, at high D₂ kinetic energy (>35 kJ mol^?1) the site‐blocking capability of CO decreases rapidly. These observations are attributed to a CO‐induced activation barrier for D₂ dissociation in the vicinity of CO molecules.     

The Interplay between Structure and Product Selectivity of CO2 Hydrogenation

Identification of the active structure under reaction conditions is of great importance for the rational design of heterogeneous catalysts. However, this is often hampered by their structural complexity. The interplay between the surface structure of Co₃O₄ and the CO₂ hydrogenation is described. Co₃O₄ with morphology‐dependent crystallographic surfaces presents different reducibility and formation energy of oxygen vacancies, thus resulting in distinct steady‐state composition and product selectivity. Co₃O₄‐0 h rhombic dodecahedra were completely reduced to Co⁰ and CoO, which presents circa 85 % CH₄ selectivity. In contrast, Co₃O₄‐2 h nanorods were partially reduced to CoO, which exhibits a circa 95 % CO selectivity. The crucial role of the Co₃O₄ structure in determining the catalytic performance for higher alcohol synthesis over CuCo‐based catalysts is demonstrated. As expected, Cu/Co₃O₄‐2 h shows nine‐fold higher ethanol yield than Cu/Co₃O₄‐0 h owing to the inhibition for methanation.     

Electrochemical Conversion of CO2 to Syngas with Controllable CO/H2 Ratios over Co and Ni Single‐Atom Catalysts

The electrochemical CO₂ reduction reaction (CO₂RR) to yield synthesis gas (syngas, CO and H₂) has been considered as a promising method to realize the net reduction in CO₂ emission. However, it is challenging to balance the CO₂RR activity and the CO/H₂ ratio. To address this issue, nitrogen‐doped carbon supported single‐atom catalysts are designed as electrocatalysts to produce syngas from CO₂RR. While Co and Ni single‐atom catalysts are selective in producing H₂ and CO, respectively, electrocatalysts containing both Co and Ni show a high syngas evolution (total current >74 mA cm^?2) with CO/H₂ ratios (0.23–2.26) that are suitable for typical downstream thermochemical reactions. Density functional theory calculations provide insights into the key intermediates on Co and Ni single‐atom configurations for the H₂ and CO evolution. The results present a useful case on how non‐precious transition metal species can maintain high CO₂RR activity with tunable CO/H₂ ratios.