A wide range of industrial processes
is based on heterogeneous catalysis (e.g. refineries, fertilizers,
fine chemicals, drugs, gasoline,...). This means that the reactants react
on the surface of a catalyst. Surface Science tools can be used
to investigate the reactions on the surface. An example is the reaction
of liquid unsaturated fat with hydrogen to form solid saturated fat, which
is shown here.
The reaction mechanism of such a reaction can be studied using a model reaction on a defined surface. In this way the active site, where the reaction takes place can be identified. In our group we use different surface science tools (e.g. Auger Electron Spectroscopy, Thermal Desorption Spectroscopy, Mass Spectrometry, Infra Red Spectroscopy, Molecular Beams) to study model reactions on metal surfaces. The combined results are used to find the mechanism governing our model reactions. An example for the reaction of ethene with hydrogen to form ethane is shown here.
