Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 21, 2026

A Method to Manipulate Surface Tension of a Liquid Metal via Surface Oxidation and Reduction
Published on: January 26, 2016
Methanol oxidation on the Pt(321) surface: a theoretical approach on the role of surface morphology and surface
Gabriele Tomaschun1, Thorsten Klüner
1Department of Chemistry, Carl von Ossietzky University Oldenburg, 26129 Oldenburg, Germany. thorsten.kluener@uni-oldenburg.de.
Abstract:
We investigated methanol oxidation, decomposition and carbonylation reactions on a high indexed Pt(321) surface. Adsorption studies of the reactants and reaction products were analyzed, where the favourable binding was found on the low coordinated atoms which are located on the step edges of this surface. The dependence of the reaction mechanism on the surface structure could be observed by analysis of methanol decomposition via O-H and C-H bond cleavage, where the latter showed a significant preference in energy. Compared to flat surfaces, the stepped and kinked Pt(321) surface showed a much stronger adsorption behavior towards methanol decomposition exhibiting small activation barriers. The consideration of higher coverage of molecules, e.g. water, during the decomposition reaction showed significant reduction of the corresponding activation barriers. Finally, the influence of a second metal such as Au or Pd in the Pt(321) surface reduced the CO poisoning of the reactive steps and kinks by the formation of carbon dioxide resulting in the accessibility of the reactive surface atoms for next/further reaction steps.
Related Concept Videos
Surface Tension and Surface Energy
Consider a beaker filled with liquid. The bulk molecules in the liquid experience equal attractive forces on all sides with the surrounding molecules. However, the surface molecules experience a net attractive force downward due to the bulk molecules. The surface of the liquid behaves like a stretched membrane,...
Wood Surfacing
The equipment used in the surfacing process is a plane equipped with rotating blades. This tool efficiently smoothens the wood surface and can...
Surface Tension, Capillary Action, and Viscosity
The various IMFs between identical molecules of a substance are examples of cohesive forces. The molecules within a liquid are surrounded by other molecules and are attracted equally in all directions by the cohesive forces within the liquid. However, the molecules on the surface of a liquid are attracted only by about one-half as many molecules. Because of the unbalanced molecular attractions on the surface molecules, liquids contract to form a shape that minimizes the number...
Cell-surface Signaling
Factors Affecting Dissolution: Particle Size and Effective Surface Area
Surface Appendages of Archaea

