Speaker
Dr
Francesco Presel
(University of Graz)
Description
In previous research, we have shown that single-layer Au nanoislands on ultrathin MgO/Ag(001) can catalyze activation of $CO_2$ to oxalate $(CO_2)_2$- — a stable intermediate for chemicals and synthetic fuels — even below room temperature.
Here we identified with STM the oxalate species present on the surface after reaction, which was only observed in presence of single-layer Au islands after exposure to $CO_2$ at 200-300 K.
Most surprisingly, this species was not located beside the Au islands: being the adsorbate species not mobile on the surface, this suggests that the reaction might involve a complex process, with electrons first tunnelling through the MgO into the gold, then diffusing over MgO.
Authors
Dr
Francesco Presel
(University of Graz)
Prof.
Hans-Joachim Freund
(Fritz Haber Institut der Max Planck Gesellschaft)
Prof.
Martin Sterrer
(University of Graz)