Formation of platinum silicide on a platinum nanoparticle array model catalyst deposited on silica during chemical reaction

Pt nanoparticle model catalysts with 28 +/- 2 nm diameters and 100 2 nm square periodicity have been fabricated with electron beam lithography on silica substrates. The reactivity and selectivity of the Pt/SiO2 array favor dehydrogenation for a cyclohexene and hydrogen mixture to hydrogenation at 100degreesC. Experiments with silicon deposited on Pt foil reveal the feasibility of platinum silicide formation at the Pt/SiO2 interface under reaction condition.