Evolution of the surface science of catalysis from single crystals to metal nanoparticles under pressure

Vacuum studies of metal single crystal surfaces using electron and molecular beam scattering revealed that the surface atoms relocate when the surface is clean (reconstruction) and when it is covered by adsorbates (adsorbate-induced restructuring). It was also discovered that atomic steps and other low coordination surface sites are active for breaking chemical bonds (H-H, O=O, C-H, C=O, and C-C) with high reaction probability. Investigations at high reactant pressures using sum frequency generation-vibrational spectroscopy and high pressure scanning tunneling microscopy revealed bond breaking at low reaction probability sites on the adsorbate-covered metal surface and the need for adsorbate mobility for continued turnover. Since most catalysts (heterogeneous, enzyme, and homogeneous) are nanoparticles, colloid synthesis methods were developed to produce monodispersed metal nanoparticles in the 1-10 nm range and controlled shapes to use them as new model catalyst systems in two-dimensional monolayer film or deposited in mesoporous three-dimensional oxides. Studies of reaction selectivity in multipath reactions (hydrogenation of benzene, cyclohexene, and crotonaldehyde) showed that the reaction selectivity depends on both nanoparticle size and shape. The oxide-metal nanoparticle interface was found to be an important catalytic site that is associated with the hot electron flow induced by exothermic reactions such as carbon monoxide oxidation.