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Updated: Aug 16, 2026

Multiscale Sampling of a Heterogeneous Water/Metal Catalyst Interface using Density Functional Theory and Force-Field Molecular Dynamics
Published on: April 12, 2019
The structure of the mixed OH + H2O overlayer on Pt[111]
1Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Lensfield Road, Cambridge CB2 1EW, United Kingdom. gh10009@cam.ac.uk
Abstract:
The structure of the mixed p(3 x 3)-(3OH + 3H2O) phase on Pt[111] has been investigated by low-energy electron diffraction-IV structure analysis. The OH + H2O overlayer consists of hexagonal rings of coplanar oxygen atoms interlinked by hydrogen bonds. Lateral shifts of the O atoms away from atop sites result in different O-O separations and hexagons with only large separations (2.81 and 3.02 angstroms) linked by hexagons with alternating separations of 2.49 and 2.813.02 angstroms. This unusual pattern is consistent with a hydrogen-bonded network in which water is adsorbed in cyclic rings separated by OH in a p(3 x 3) structure. The top-most two layers of the Pt atoms relax inwards with respect to the clean surface and both show vertical buckling of up to 0.06 angstroms. In addition, significant shifts away from the lateral bulk positions have been found for the second layer of Pt atoms.
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