Spectroscopic studies of surface-gas interactions and catalyst restructuring at ambient pressure: mind the gap!

Recent progress in the application of surface vibrational spectroscopy at ambient pressure allows us to monitor surface-gas interactions and heterogeneous catalytic reactions under conditions approaching those of technical catalysis. The surface specificity of photon-based methods such as polarization modulation infrared reflection absorption spectroscopy (PM-IRAS) and sum frequency generation (SFG) spectroscopy is utilized to monitor catalytically active surfaces while they function at high pressure and high temperature. Together with complementary information from high-pressure x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (HP-XPS) and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), reaction mechanisms can be deduced on a molecular level. Well defined model catalysts, prepared under ultrahigh vacuum (UHV), are typically employed in such studies, including smooth and stepped single crystals, thin oxide films, and oxide-supported nanoparticles. A number of studies on unsupported and supported noble metal (Pd, Rh) catalysts are presented, focusing on the transformation of the catalysts from the 'as-prepared' to the 'active state'. This often involves pronounced alterations in catalyst structure and composition, for example the creation of surface carbon phases, surface oxides or surface alloys, as well as nanoparticle restructuring. The reactivity studies include CH3OH, CH4 and CO oxidation with gas phase analysis by gas chromatography and mass spectrometry. Differing results between studies under ultrahigh vacuum and ambient pressure, and between studies on single crystals and supported nanoparticles, demonstrate the importance of 'minding the gap' between idealized and realistic conditions.