Water dissociation at the Au/α-Fe2O3(0001) interface

The dissociative adsorption of water on a model catalyst formed by a Au5 cluster attached to the Fe-terminated (0001) surface of hematite (α-Fe2O3) was investigated within the density functional theory including an on-site Coulomb term (DFT + U). A flattened 2D-like structure was employed as support...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores: Fuente, Silvia Andrea, Fortunato, Leandro Federico, Zubieta, Carolina Edith, Ferullo, Ricardo, Belelli, Patricia Gabriela
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Estado:Versión publicada
Fecha de publicación:2018
País:Argentina
Institución:Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas
Repositorio:CONICET Digital (CONICET)
Idioma:inglés
OAI Identifier:oai:ri.conicet.gov.ar:11336/91359
Acceso en línea:http://hdl.handle.net/11336/91359
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:DFT
GOLD
HEMATITE
MODEL CATALYSTS
WGSR
https://purl.org/becyt/ford/1.4
https://purl.org/becyt/ford/1
Descripción
Sumario:The dissociative adsorption of water on a model catalyst formed by a Au5 cluster attached to the Fe-terminated (0001) surface of hematite (α-Fe2O3) was investigated within the density functional theory including an on-site Coulomb term (DFT + U). A flattened 2D-like structure was employed as supported gold particle. On clean hematite, the water molecule interacts with its O atom directly bound to a surface Fe ion. Conversely, in the most stable adsorption mode on Au5/hematite, it adsorbs in a multi-coordinated fashion at the metal-oxide interface and with one H atom oriented downward. Regarding the dissociative process, the isolated Au5 particle has a poor performance to activate one of the OH bonds (H2O → OH + H). However, when supported on hematite it becomes very active, having an activation barrier of only 0.09 eV. This process is even more favorable than on clean hematite. Thus, a very reactive site emerges at the metal-support interface. In this distinctive site, the water molecule is able to adsorb in a configuration (H-down) wherein one OH bond is strongly activated. An adsorbate-induced modification on the way that the flattened Au5 is anchored to the surface was observed, accompanied with changes in Au charges.