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Evaluating Plasmonic Transport in Current-carrying Silver Nanowires
Published on: December 11, 2013
Interaction between silver nanowires and CO on a stepped platinum surface
R Streber1, B Tränkenschuh, J Schöck
1Lehrstuhl für Physikalische Chemie II, Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Egerlandstr. 3, 91058 Erlangen, Germany.
The Journal of Chemical Physics
|August 21, 2009
Summary
Silver decoration of platinum surfaces alters carbon monoxide adsorption. Silver initially blocks platinum step sites, changing CO binding energies, but higher coverages free up sites for CO adsorption.
Area of Science:
- Surface Science
- Heterogeneous Catalysis
- Materials Science
Background:
- Understanding metal-surface interactions is crucial for catalysis.
- CO adsorption on platinum is a well-studied model system.
- Silver's effect on platinum step sites is not fully understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- Investigate the impact of silver decoration on stepped Pt(355) surfaces.
- Characterize changes in CO adsorption behavior due to silver.
- Elucidate the role of silver in modifying platinum step site accessibility and electronic properties.
Main Methods:
- In situ high-resolution X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (HRXPS) was employed.
- Controlled deposition of silver onto Pt(355) at 300 K.
- Comparison with density functional theory (DFT) calculations for surface models.
Main Results:
- Silver deposition initially follows a row-by-row growth at lower Pt step edges.
- CO adsorption at step sites is blocked at low coverages due to altered electronic structure.
- Higher CO coverages lead to embedded Ag clusters, partially freeing Pt step sites.
Conclusions:
- Silver decoration significantly modifies CO adsorption on Pt(355).
- Electronic structure changes at step sites influence CO binding.
- Surface morphology evolution with increasing Ag coverage dictates site availability for CO adsorption.
