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![ABSTRACT THE scanning tunnelling microscope (STM) has yielded great insight into the structure of surfaces and into the dynamics of surface reconstruction and adsorption1. We show here that it can also provide direct information about the microscopic mechanisms of catalytic reactions on surfaces. We have studied the oxidation of carbon monoxide on an oxygen-precovered rhodium (110) surface, a process related to the catalytic removal of CO in exhaust gases2,3. The STM images show that the reactivity is strongly influenced by the oxygen-induced reconstructions of the surface. The reaction is initiated at high-energy adsorption sites, mainly at steps and domain boundaries of the adsorbed oxygen layer. The CO strips away one-dimensional islands of oxygen atoms on the reconstructed surface, proceeding in the [011] direction. More generally, these results show how the STM can provide insights into the microkinetics of surface reactions. Access through your institution Buy or subscribe This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution ACCESS OPTIONS Access through your institution Subscribe to this journal Receive 51 print issues and online access $199.00 per year only $3.90 per issue Learn more Buy this article * Purchase on SpringerLink * Instant access to full article PDF Buy now Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout ADDITIONAL ACCESS OPTIONS: * Log in * Learn about institutional subscriptions * Read our FAQs * Contact customer support SIMILAR CONTENT BEING VIEWED BY OTHERS HOW THE ANISOTROPY OF SURFACE OXIDE FORMATION INFLUENCES THE TRANSIENT ACTIVITY OF A SURFACE REACTION Article Open access 04 January 2021 NANOMETRE-SCALE SPECTROSCOPIC VISUALIZATION OF CATALYTIC SITES DURING A HYDROGENATION REACTION ON A PD/AU BIMETALLIC CATALYST Article 21 September 2020 DIRECT OBSERVATION OF KNOCK-ON REACTION WITH UMBRELLA INVERSION ARISING FROM ZERO-IMPACT-PARAMETER COLLISION AT A SURFACE Article Open access 12 February 2021 REFERENCES * Guntherodt, H.-J. & Weisendanger, R. (eds) _Scanning Tunnelling Microscopy I_ (Springer, Berlin 1992). * Taylor, K. C. _Catalysis_ (eds Anderson J. R. & Boudart, M.) Vol. 5, 119–170 (1984). Book Google Scholar * Joyner, R. W., Bowker, M. & Truex, T. J. _Chem. Brit._ 28, 1011 (1992). Google Scholar * Onuferko, J. H., Woodruff, D. P. & Holland, B. W. _Surf. Sci._ 87, 357–374 (1979). Article ADS CAS Google Scholar * Raval, R., Haq, S., Harrison, M., Blyholder, G. & King, D.A., _Chem. Phys. Lett._ 167, 391–396 (1990). Article ADS CAS Google Scholar * Gaussmann, A. & Kruse, N. _Catal. Lett._ 10, 305–316 (1991). Article CAS Google Scholar * McIntyre, B. J., Salmeron, M. & Somorjai, G. A. _Catal. Lett._ 14, 263–269 (1992). Article Google Scholar * King, D. A. & Thomas, G. _Surf. Sci._ 92, 201–236 (1980). Article ADS CAS Google Scholar * Bowker, M., Guo, Q. & Joyner, R. W. _Surf. Sci._ 253, 33–43 (1991). Article ADS CAS Google Scholar * Murray, P. W. _et al._ _Phys. Rev. B._ May 1993 (in the press). * Schwartz, E., Lenz, J., Wohlgemuth, H. & Christmann, K. _Vacuum_ 41, 167–175 (1990). Article ADS Google Scholar * Comelli, G. _et al._ _Surf. Sci._ 260, 7–13 (1992). Article ADS CAS Google Scholar * Bowker, M., Guo, Q. & Joyner, R. W. _Surf. Sci._ 280, 50–62 (1993). Article ADS CAS Google Scholar * Bowker, M., Guo, Q., Pudney, P. & Joyner, R. W. in _Studies Surf. Sci. Catal._ 71, 409–416 (1991). Article CAS Google Scholar * Ertl, G. _Catal. Lett._ 9, 219–230 (1991). Article CAS Google Scholar * Blakely, D. & Somorjai, G. A. _J. Catal._ 42, 181 (1976). Article CAS Google Scholar * Oh, S., Fisher, G., Carpenter, J. & Goodman, D.W. _J. Catal._ 100, 360–376 (1986). Article CAS Google Scholar * Bowker, M., Guo, Q. & Joyner, R. W. _Catal. Lett._ 18, 119–124 (1993). Article CAS Google Scholar * Cautero, G., Astaldi, C., Rudolf, P., Kiskinova, M. & Rosei, R. _Surf. Sci._ 258, 44–57 (1991). Article ADS CAS Google Scholar * Comelli, G. _et al._ _Surf. Sci._ 269/270, 360–363 (1992). Article ADS Google Scholar Download references AUTHOR INFORMATION Author notes * G. Thornton and M. Bowker: G.T. is also at the Chemistry Department, Manchester University, Manchester M13 9PL, UK. M.B. is also at the Leverhulme Centre for Innovative Catalysis, Department of Chemistry, University of Liverpool, PO Box 147, Liverpool L69 3BX, UK. AUTHORS AND AFFILIATIONS * Interdisciplinary Research Centre in Surface Science, University of Liverpool, PO Box 147, Liverpool, L69 3BX, UK F. M. Leibsle, P. W. Murray, S. M. Francis, G. Thornton & M. Bowker Authors * F. M. Leibsle View author publications You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar * P. W. Murray View author publications You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar * S. M. Francis View author publications You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar * G. Thornton View author publications You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar * M. Bowker View author publications You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar RIGHTS AND PERMISSIONS Reprints and permissions ABOUT THIS ARTICLE CITE THIS ARTICLE Leibsle, F., Murray, P., Francis, S. _et al._ One-dimensional reactivity in catalysis studied with the scanning tunnelling microscope. _Nature_ 363, 706–709 (1993). https://doi.org/10.1038/363706a0 Download citation * Received: 29 January 1993 * Accepted: 06 May 1993 * Issue Date: 24 June 1993 * DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/363706a0 SHARE THIS ARTICLE Anyone you share the following link with will be able to read this content: Get shareable link Sorry, a shareable link is not currently available for this article. Copy to clipboard Provided by the Springer Nature SharedIt content-sharing initiative](https://media.springernature.com/w215h120/springer-static/image/art%3A10.1038%2Fs41467-020-20377-9/MediaObjects/41467_2020_20377_Fig1_HTML.png)
ABSTRACT THE scanning tunnelling microscope (STM) has yielded great insight into the structure of surfaces and into the dynamics of surface reconstruction and adsorption1. We show here that
it can also provide direct information about the microscopic mechanisms of catalytic reactions on surfaces. We have studied the oxidation of carbon monoxide on an oxygen-precovered rhodium
(110) surface, a process related to the catalytic removal of CO in exhaust gases2,3. The STM images show that the reactivity is strongly influenced by the oxygen-induced reconstructions of
the surface. The reaction is initiated at high-energy adsorption sites, mainly at steps and domain boundaries of the adsorbed oxygen layer. The CO strips away one-dimensional islands of
oxygen atoms on the reconstructed surface, proceeding in the [011] direction. More generally, these results show how the STM can provide insights into the microkinetics of surface reactions.
Access through your institution Buy or subscribe This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution ACCESS OPTIONS Access through your institution Subscribe to this
journal Receive 51 print issues and online access $199.00 per year only $3.90 per issue Learn more Buy this article * Purchase on SpringerLink * Instant access to full article PDF Buy now
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout ADDITIONAL ACCESS OPTIONS: * Log in * Learn about institutional subscriptions * Read our FAQs * Contact customer
support SIMILAR CONTENT BEING VIEWED BY OTHERS HOW THE ANISOTROPY OF SURFACE OXIDE FORMATION INFLUENCES THE TRANSIENT ACTIVITY OF A SURFACE REACTION Article Open access 04 January 2021
NANOMETRE-SCALE SPECTROSCOPIC VISUALIZATION OF CATALYTIC SITES DURING A HYDROGENATION REACTION ON A PD/AU BIMETALLIC CATALYST Article 21 September 2020 DIRECT OBSERVATION OF KNOCK-ON
REACTION WITH UMBRELLA INVERSION ARISING FROM ZERO-IMPACT-PARAMETER COLLISION AT A SURFACE Article Open access 12 February 2021 REFERENCES * Guntherodt, H.-J. & Weisendanger, R. (eds)
_Scanning Tunnelling Microscopy I_ (Springer, Berlin 1992). * Taylor, K. C. _Catalysis_ (eds Anderson J. R. & Boudart, M.) Vol. 5, 119–170 (1984). Book Google Scholar * Joyner, R. W.,
Bowker, M. & Truex, T. J. _Chem. Brit._ 28, 1011 (1992). Google Scholar * Onuferko, J. H., Woodruff, D. P. & Holland, B. W. _Surf. Sci._ 87, 357–374 (1979). Article ADS CAS
Google Scholar * Raval, R., Haq, S., Harrison, M., Blyholder, G. & King, D.A., _Chem. Phys. Lett._ 167, 391–396 (1990). Article ADS CAS Google Scholar * Gaussmann, A. & Kruse,
N. _Catal. Lett._ 10, 305–316 (1991). Article CAS Google Scholar * McIntyre, B. J., Salmeron, M. & Somorjai, G. A. _Catal. Lett._ 14, 263–269 (1992). Article Google Scholar * King,
D. A. & Thomas, G. _Surf. Sci._ 92, 201–236 (1980). Article ADS CAS Google Scholar * Bowker, M., Guo, Q. & Joyner, R. W. _Surf. Sci._ 253, 33–43 (1991). Article ADS CAS Google
Scholar * Murray, P. W. _et al._ _Phys. Rev. B._ May 1993 (in the press). * Schwartz, E., Lenz, J., Wohlgemuth, H. & Christmann, K. _Vacuum_ 41, 167–175 (1990). Article ADS Google
Scholar * Comelli, G. _et al._ _Surf. Sci._ 260, 7–13 (1992). Article ADS CAS Google Scholar * Bowker, M., Guo, Q. & Joyner, R. W. _Surf. Sci._ 280, 50–62 (1993). Article ADS CAS
Google Scholar * Bowker, M., Guo, Q., Pudney, P. & Joyner, R. W. in _Studies Surf. Sci. Catal._ 71, 409–416 (1991). Article CAS Google Scholar * Ertl, G. _Catal. Lett._ 9, 219–230
(1991). Article CAS Google Scholar * Blakely, D. & Somorjai, G. A. _J. Catal._ 42, 181 (1976). Article CAS Google Scholar * Oh, S., Fisher, G., Carpenter, J. & Goodman, D.W.
_J. Catal._ 100, 360–376 (1986). Article CAS Google Scholar * Bowker, M., Guo, Q. & Joyner, R. W. _Catal. Lett._ 18, 119–124 (1993). Article CAS Google Scholar * Cautero, G.,
Astaldi, C., Rudolf, P., Kiskinova, M. & Rosei, R. _Surf. Sci._ 258, 44–57 (1991). Article ADS CAS Google Scholar * Comelli, G. _et al._ _Surf. Sci._ 269/270, 360–363 (1992). Article
ADS Google Scholar Download references AUTHOR INFORMATION Author notes * G. Thornton and M. Bowker: G.T. is also at the Chemistry Department, Manchester University, Manchester M13 9PL,
UK. M.B. is also at the Leverhulme Centre for Innovative Catalysis, Department of Chemistry, University of Liverpool, PO Box 147, Liverpool L69 3BX, UK. AUTHORS AND AFFILIATIONS *
Interdisciplinary Research Centre in Surface Science, University of Liverpool, PO Box 147, Liverpool, L69 3BX, UK F. M. Leibsle, P. W. Murray, S. M. Francis, G. Thornton & M. Bowker
Authors * F. M. Leibsle View author publications You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar * P. W. Murray View author publications You can also search for this author
inPubMed Google Scholar * S. M. Francis View author publications You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar * G. Thornton View author publications You can also search for
this author inPubMed Google Scholar * M. Bowker View author publications You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar RIGHTS AND PERMISSIONS Reprints and permissions ABOUT
THIS ARTICLE CITE THIS ARTICLE Leibsle, F., Murray, P., Francis, S. _et al._ One-dimensional reactivity in catalysis studied with the scanning tunnelling microscope. _Nature_ 363, 706–709
(1993). https://doi.org/10.1038/363706a0 Download citation * Received: 29 January 1993 * Accepted: 06 May 1993 * Issue Date: 24 June 1993 * DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/363706a0 SHARE THIS
ARTICLE Anyone you share the following link with will be able to read this content: Get shareable link Sorry, a shareable link is not currently available for this article. Copy to clipboard
Provided by the Springer Nature SharedIt content-sharing initiative