Heterogeneous Catalysis on a Disordered Surface

TL;DR

This paper presents a simple model of heterogeneous catalysis on disordered surfaces, revealing how disorder can induce reactive steady states and complex kinetic behaviors absent in homogeneous models.

Contribution

It introduces a novel disordered surface model showing disorder-induced steady states and diverse kinetic phenomena in catalysis.

Findings

Disorder creates reactive steady states not seen in homogeneous models.

Kinetic behaviors vary significantly with model parameters.

Rich dynamics emerge from surface disorder.

Abstract

We introduce a simple model of heterogeneous catalysis on a disordered surface which consists of two types of randomly distributed sites with different adsorption rates. Disorder can create a reactive steady state in situations where the same model on a homogeneous surface exhibits trivial kinetics with no steady state. A rich variety of kinetic behaviors occur for the adsorbate concentrations and catalytic reaction rate as a function of model parameters.