Size and shape dependence of the electrostatic potential in cluster models of the MgO(100) surface

We investigated the dependence of the electrostatic potential on the size and the shape of various cluster models of the MgO(100) surface. Both Mg²⁺ and O^2? adsorption sites have been considered. The clusters were embedded in a large array of point charges to provide a representation of the Madelung potential. We found that the electrostatic potential in the adsorption region shows a marked dependence on the size of the cluster, in particular, for non-stoichiometric clusters where the number of cations and anions differs considerably. These oscillations are due to (a) the different contribution to the electrostatic potential given by a point charge or by an extended ion, and (b) by the polarization of the ions at the cluster border. The effect of the oscillations in the electrostatic potential on the chemisorption properties was investigated for the case of CO₂ interacting with surface and defect O^2? sites of the MgO surface. © 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.