CO-induced lifting of Au (001) surface reconstruction

TL;DR

This study demonstrates how carbon monoxide can lift the hexagonal reconstruction on gold (001) surfaces, revealing surface behaviors similar to catalytic systems, with real-time analysis and a detailed phase diagram.

Contribution

It provides the first in-situ phase diagram and real-time surface evolution data for CO-induced lifting of Au (001) reconstruction.

Findings

CO induces lifting of Au (001) surface reconstruction

Surface exhibits properties akin to catalytically active systems

Real-time surface structural evolution observed

Abstract

We report CO-induced lifting of the hexagonal surface reconstruction on Au (001). Using in-situ surface x-ray scattering, we determined a pressure-temperature phase diagram for the reconstruction and measured the dynamical evolution of the surface structure in real time. Our observations provide evidence that, under certain conditions, even macroscopic Au surfaces, much larger than catalytic Au nanoparticles [M. Haruta, Catal. Today 36, 153 (1997)], can exhibit some of the reactive properties and surface transitions observed in systems known to be catalytically active such as Pt (001).