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Updated: Jul 3, 2026

Multiscale Sampling of a Heterogeneous Water/Metal Catalyst Interface using Density Functional Theory and Force-Field Molecular Dynamics
Published on: April 12, 2019
Utilization of the three-dimensional volcano surface to understand the chemistry of multiphase systems in
1School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, The Queen's University of Belfast, Belfast, BT9 5AG, UK.
Abstract:
CO hydrogenation is used as a model system to understand why multiphase catalysts are chemically important in heterogeneous catalysis. By including both adsorption and subsequent surface reactions, kinetic equations are derived with two fundamental properties, the chemisorption energies of C and O (DeltaHC and DeltaHO, respectively). By plotting the activity against DeltaHC and DeltaHO, a 3-D volcano surface is obtained. Because of the constraint between DeltaHC and DeltaHO on monophase systems, a maximum can be achieved. However, if multiphase systems are used, such a constraint can be released and the global maximum may be achieved.
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