AVS 66th International Symposium & Exhibition
    Fundamental Discoveries in Heterogeneous Catalysis Focus Topic Thursday Sessions
       Session HC-ThP

Paper HC-ThP5
Morphology of an Oxide Formed on Au(111) at High Temperatures under Ambient Pressure Conditions

Thursday, October 24, 2019, 6:30 pm, Room Union Station B

Session: Fundamental Discoveries in Heterogeneous Catalysis Poster Session
Presenter: Jordon Baker, James Madison University
Authors: J. Baker, James Madison University
H. Kaleem, James Madison University
E. Maxwell, James Madison University
A.E. Baber, James Madison University
Correspondent: Click to Email
The deactivation of heterogeneous catalysts occurs via several mechanisms such as poisoning, coking, and sintering, among others. In order to maintain the high chemical reactivity of heterogeneous catalysts, the process for catalyst deactivation must be well understood and avoided. The effect of high temperature annealing cycles on the morphology of TiO2/Au(111) model catalysts has been studied. When modified with TiO2 nanoparticles, the morphology of the model catalyst can vary based on differences in the annealing cycle parameters. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) was used to image the morphology of the surface before and after annealing TiO2/Au(111) to 1000 K. TiO2 nanoparticles sintered and Au(111) step edges smoothed, but surprisingly a new surface feature was observed with AFM under ambient conditions, resembling mixed metal oxides formed under UHV conditions. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy was used to characterize the surface species remaining after the high temperature exposure. The stabilization of a mixed metal oxide on Au(111) has not previously been observed, and future work will investigate the chemical reactivity of these materials.