XPS and TDS study of CO interaction with Pd–AlOx systems

The metal–substrate and metal–metal interactions (MSI, MMI) represent important effects determining the properties of supported catalysts, gas sensors and gettering alloys. We investigated the MSI and MMI effects by the X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and temperature programmed desorption (TPD) in the case of Pd films deposited on Al₂O₃ and Al substrates. The study shows that the particle-size dependent metal–substrate interaction plays an important role in CO–Pd chemisorption, namely, in the case of “aluminium rich” Pd–aluminium oxide interface. CO chemisorption exhibits a low-temperature desorption feature at 360 K characteristic for Pd–Al and very small Pd particles. The MSI is explained by the formation of a Pd–Al intermetallic interface exhibiting a strong bimetallic Pd–Al interaction.