Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

CO Oxidation on Gold Surfaces Studied on the Atomic Scale

  • Published:
Catalysis Letters Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The interaction of small gold crystal tips with oxygen gas and CO/O2 gas mixtures was studied by means of field ion microscopy (FIM). High-resolution FIM-images of clean tips were obtained with hydrogen and neon as imaging gas. At temperatures between 300 and 450 K the exposure of a clean Au sample to O2 gas at 100–1000 mbar, in the absence of an electric field, led to oxygen chemisorption and formation of a “surface oxide”. The presence of an electric field of 12–15 V/nm was found to enhance the oxidation process. Exposure to CO gas at 300 K led to the removal of the surface oxide. This was associated with the occurrence of a wave front which started in the apex centre and extended to the outskirts of the tip sample. The build-up of the surface oxide and its titration by carbon monoxide was completely reversible. Our results strongly suggest that pure gold crystals are active catalysts for the CO oxidation at 300 K.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. G.C. Bond andD.T. Thompson, Catal. Rev. Sci. Eng. 41 (1999) 319.

    Google Scholar 

  2. M. Haruta, Catal. Today 36 (1997) 153.

    Google Scholar 

  3. A.G. Sault,R.J. Madix andC.T. Campbell, Surf. Sci. 169 (1986) 347.

    Google Scholar 

  4. S.D. Lin,M. Bollinger andM.A. Vannice, Catal. Lett. 17 (1993) 245.

    Google Scholar 

  5. R.J.H. Grisel,P.J. Kooyman andB.E. Nieuwenhuys, J. Catal. 191 (2000) 430.

    Google Scholar 

  6. R.J.H. Grisel andB.E. Nieuwenhuys, Catal. Today 64 (2001) 69.

    Google Scholar 

  7. A. Gaussmann andN. Kruse, Catal. Lett. 10 (1991) 305.

    Google Scholar 

  8. R.S. Averback andD.N. Seidman, Surf. Sci. 40 (1973) 249.

    Google Scholar 

  9. V. Gorodetskii,W. Drachsel andJ.H. Block, J. Chem. Phys. 100 (1994) 6907.

    Google Scholar 

  10. V.K. Medvedev,Yu. Suchorski,C. Voss,T. Visart de Bocarmé,T. Bär andN. Kruse, Langmuir 14 (1998) 6151.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Chemical Physics of Materials, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Campus Plaine, CP 243, 1050, Brussels, Belgium

    T. Bär, T. Visart de Bocarmé & N. Kruse

  2. Leiden Institute of Chemistry, Gorlaeus Laboratories, Leiden University, PO Box 9502, 2300 RA, Leiden, The Netherlands

    B.E. Nieuwenhuys

Authors
  1. T. Bär
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. T. Visart de Bocarmé
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. B.E. Nieuwenhuys
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. N. Kruse
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Bär, T., Visart de Bocarmé, T., Nieuwenhuys, B. et al. CO Oxidation on Gold Surfaces Studied on the Atomic Scale. Catalysis Letters 74, 127–131 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1016685130974

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1016685130974

Search

Navigation