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- Methanol oxidation (1)
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Institute
Submonolayer coverages of V-oxide on Rh(111) condense during catalytic methanol oxidation into a pattern of macroscopic stripes or islands. Under reaction conditions, a phase separation occurs within the VOx islands that has been studied in a pressure range of 10–6–10–4 mbar with photoemission electron microscopy (PEEM), low-energy electron microscopy (LEEM), microspot-low-energy electron diffraction (μLEED), and microspot-X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (μXPS). An oxidized outer ring with a (√7 × √7)R19.1° structure coexists with an inner (12 × 12) Moiré-type boundary layer and a reduced core exhibiting a (√3 × √3)R30° Moiré type pattern. The dependence of the substructure on the reaction conditions, on V coverage, and on island size was investigated. With μXPS, the V coverages of the different phases in the VOx islands were determined.
Recent advances in in situ microscopy allow to follow the reaction dynamics during a catalytic surface reaction from ultra-high vacuum to 0.1 mbar, thus bridging a large part of the pressure gap.
Submonolayer vanadium oxide films on Rh(111) have been studied during catalytic methanol oxidation in situ with spatially resolving imaging techniques. At 10-6 to 10-4 mbar VOx condenses into macroscopic circular islands that exhibit a substructure, consisting of a reduced island core and an oxidized outer ring. This substructure arises due to an oxygen gradient inside the VOx islands, which results in different coexisting 2D-phases of VOx on Rh(111). This substructure is also responsible for a "breathing-like" oscillatory expansion and contraction that the islands undergo under stationary conditions. Using density functional theory, the 2D-phase diagram of VOx on Rh(111) has been computed. The oscillatory behavior can be understood as a periodic phase transition between two 2D phases of VOx. With a newly developed near ambient pressure – low-energy electron microscope, it was shown that VOx islands disintegrate at 10-2
mbar, resulting in turbulent dynamics.