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Promoter-induced reactive phase separation in surface reactions
Y De Decker1, H Marbach, M Hinz
1Center for Nonlinear Phenomena and Complex Systems, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Campus Plaine, C.P. 231. B-1050 Brussels, Belgium.
Physical Review Letters
|June 1, 2004
Summary
Promoters, mobile species influencing catalytic reactions, can cause Turing instability. This leads to reaction-induced periodic concentration patterns, observed in water formation on Rh(110) with potassium.
Area of Science:
- Surface science
- Chemical kinetics
- Nonlinear dynamics
Background:
- Promoters are mobile species that influence catalytic reaction rates without directly participating.
- They often exhibit strong attractive interactions with reactants.
- Understanding promoter effects is crucial for designing efficient catalysts.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the theoretical conditions leading to reaction-induced pattern formation.
- To demonstrate how promoters can drive Turing instabilities in surface reactions.
- To correlate theoretical predictions with experimental observations.
Main Methods:
- Theoretical modeling of surface reactions with mobile promoters.
- Analysis of Turing instability conditions.
- Experimental observation of catalytic water formation on Rh(110).
Main Results:
- Promoters with strong attractive interactions can induce Turing instabilities.
- These instabilities lead to the formation of spatially periodic concentration patterns.
- Periodic patterns were experimentally observed during catalytic water formation on Rh(110) with coadsorbed potassium.
Conclusions:
- Promoter effects can lead to complex spatiotemporal pattern formation via Turing instabilities.
- This mechanism explains observed patterns in catalytic water formation.
- The findings offer insights into controlling surface reactions through promoter engineering.