Scientific focus
Our model-catalysis approach uses well-defined single-crystal surfaces, ultrathin oxides, supported nanoparticles and bimetallic systems to disentangle structure–reactivity relationships. XPS, TPD/TPR, molecular beams and vibrational spectroscopy are combined with controlled sample preparation.
Understanding details of heterogeneous catalysis, i.e. chemical reactions between molecules adsorbed on a solid surface, centers around the notion of an active site. Surface science approach allows us to experimentally construct model active sites as atomically presise arrangements of surface atoms, and investigate their structure, stability, reactivity and selectivity in gas reaction environments.
A custom electrochemical transfer approach extends these concepts to electrocatalysis, where we study oxidation reactions, metal–support interactions and the stability of catalyst surfaces under electrochemical conditions. Activation of chemical reactions with electricity, instead of heat, represents a key concept of renewable energy technologies in which surface of an electrode constitutes an electrocatalyst.