We have investigated the stability and the reactivity of atomically dispersed Pt, Pd, and Ni species on nanostructured CeO2 films by means of synchrotron radiation photoelectron spectroscopy and resonant photoemission spectroscopy in combination with density functional calculations. All three metals reveal specific similarities associated with the high adsorption energy of atomically dispersed Pt2+, Pd2+, and Ni2+ species that exceeds the corresponding cohesive energies of the bulk metals. The corresponding Pt–CeO2, Pd–CeO2, and Ni–CeO2 model catalysts have been prepared in the form of thin films on CeO2(111)/Cu­(111) substrates and investigated experimentally under ultrahigh vacuum conditions. The atomically dispersed Pt2+, Pd2+, and Ni2+ species were formed exclusively at low concentrations of the corresponding metals. High concentrations resulted in the presence of additional metal oxide phases and emergence of metallic particles. We found that under the employed experimental conditions the Pd–CeO2 films closely resemble the Pt–CeO2 system with respect to the redox behavior upon reaction with hydrogen. Unlike Pt–CeO2, the Pd–CeO2 system shows a strong tendency to stabilize Pd2+ not only at the surface but also in the ceria bulk. In sharp contrast to both Pt–CeO2 and Pd–CeO2, the Ni–CeO2 system does not exhibit the redox functionality required for hydrogen activation due to the remarkably high stability of Ni2+ species.

To explore the catalytic properties of cobalt oxide at the atomic level, we have studied the interaction of CO and O 2 with well-ordered Co 3 O 4 (111) thin films using scanning tunneling microscopy (STM), high-resolution X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (HR-XPS), infrared reflection absorption spectroscopy (IRAS), and temperature-programmed desorption spectroscopy (TPD) under ultrahigh vacuum (UHV) conditions. At low coverage and temperature CO binds to surface Co 2+ ions on the (111) facets. At larger exposure a compressed phase is formed in which additional CO is located at sites in between the Co 2+ ions. In addition a bridging carbonate species forms which is associated with defects such as step edges of Co 3 O 4 (111) terraces or the side facets of the (111) oriented grains. Preadsorbed oxygen neither affects CO adsorption at low coverage nor the formation of the surface carbonate but it blocks formation of the high coverage CO phase. Desorption of the molecularly bound CO occurs up to 180 K, whereas the surface carbonate decomposes in a broad temperature range up to 400 K under the release of CO and, to a lesser extent, of CO 2 .Upon strong loss of crystalline oxygen the Co 3 O 4 grains eventually switch to the CoO rocksalt structure.

Thin films of ionic liquids (ILs) can be used to tune the activity and selectivity of heterogeneous catalysts and electrocatalysts (solid catalysts with IL layer, SCILL). In several cases it has been found that these IL layers have a strong beneficial effect on the selectivity. To explore the molecular origin of this phenomenon, we have performed a model study on ultrahigh-vacuum conditions. We have investigated the coadsorption of CO and the room-temperature IL [C2C1Im]­[OTf] (1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium trifluoromethanesulfonate) on Pd(111) by time-resolved infrared reflection–absorption spectroscopy, temperature-programmed reflection absorption spectroscopy, and temperature-programmed desorption. We find that the [OTf]− anion adsorbs specifically to the Pd(111) surface via the SO3 – group, thereby adopting a well-defined orientation with the molecular axis oriented perpendicular to the surface. At higher IL coverage, unspecific but oriented adsorption occurs, before the orientation is successively lost in the multilayer region. Upon coadsorption of [C2C1Im]­[OTf] on a CO-saturated Pd(111) surface at 300 K (θ = 0.5) a well-defined coadsorption layer is formed without any loss of adsorbed CO and with very similar CO site occupation. In the coadsorption layer [OTf]− is specifically adsorbed between the CO with a molecular orientation perpendicular to the surface. Thus, a dense and homogeneous coadsorption layer is formed in which Pd surface atoms are simultaneously coordinated to both CO and [OTf]− ions. From this compressed layer, CO desorbs with peak temperature at 410 K (heating rate, 3.3 K/s). Above this temperature, a low-coverage coadsorption phase of CO and surface-adsorbed IL resides, with little influence of the IL on the CO desorption temperature (peak temperature, 470 K). Coadsorption of the IL gives rise to a pronounced red shift of the CO stretching frequency in the order of 50 cm–1. The effect originates from the electrostatic interfacial field (Stark effect) generated by the coadsorbed IL and, at high coverage, possibly from additional short-range interactions. The results show that ILs form dense and well-defined mixed phases with strongly adsorbing reactants such as CO, in which a specifically adsorbed carpet of IL anions directly modifies the active surface sites by ligand-like effects.

Ionic liquids (ILs) are flexible reaction media and solvents for the synthesis of metal nanoparticles (NPs). Here, we describe a new preparation method for metallic NPs in nanometer thick films of ultraclean ILs in an ultrahigh vacuum (UHV) environment. CO-covered Pd NPs are formed by simultaneous and by sequential physical vapor deposition (PVD) of the IL and the metal in the presence of low partial pressures of CO. The film thickness and the particle size can be controlled by the deposition parameters. We followed the formation of the NPs and their thermal behavior by time-resolved IR reflection absorption spectroscopy (TP-IRAS) and by temperature-programmed IRAS (TR-IRAS). Codeposition of Pd and [C1C2Im][OTf] in CO at 100 K leads to the growth of homogeneous multilayer films of CO-covered Pd aggregates in an IL matrix. The size of these NPs can be controlled by the metal fraction in the co-deposit. With increasing metal fraction, the size of the Pd NPs also increases. At very low metal content, small Pd carbonyl-like species are formed, which bind CO in on-top geometry only. Upon annealing, the [OTf](-) anion coadsorbs at the NP surface and partially displaces CO. Co-adsorption of CO and IL is indicated by a strong red-shift of the CO stretching bands. While the weakly bound on-top CO is mainly replaced below the melting transition of the IL, coadsorbate shells with bridge-bonded CO and IL are stable well above the melting point. Larger three-dimensional Pd NPs can be prepared by PVD of Pd onto a solid [C1C2Im][OTf] film at 100 K. Upon annealing, on-top CO desorbs from these NPs below 200 K. Upon melting of the IL film, the CO-covered Pd NPs immerse into the IL and again form a stable coadsorbate shell that consists of bridge-bonded CO and the IL.

Cobalt oxide nanomaterials show high activity in several catalytic reactions thereby offering the potential to replace noble metals in some applications. We have developed a well-defined model system for partially reduced cobalt oxide materials aiming at a molecular level understanding of cobalt-oxide-based catalysis. Starting from a well-ordered Co3O4(111) film on Ir(100), we modified the surface by deposition of metallic cobalt. Growth, structure, and adsorption properties of the cobalt-modified surface were investigated by scanning tunneling microscopy (STM), low-energy electron diffraction (LEED), and infrared reflection absorption spectroscopy (IRAS) using CO as a probe molecule. The deposition of a submonolayer of cobalt at 300 K leads to the formation of atomically dispersed cobalt ions distorting the surface layer of the Co3O4 film. Upon annealing to 500 K the Co ions are incorporated into the surface layer forming ordered two-dimensional CoO islands on the Co3O4 grains. At 700 K, Co ions diffuse from the CoO islands into the bulk and the ordered Co3O4(111) surface is restored. Deposition of larger amounts of Co at 300 K leads to formation of metallic Co aggregates on the dispersed cobalt phase. The metallic particles sinter at 500 K and diffuse into the bulk at 700 K. Depending on the degree of bulk reduction, extended Co3O4 grains switch to the CoO(111) structure. All above structures show characteristic CO adsorption behavior and can therefore be identified by IR spectroscopy of adsorbed CO.