CO on a Rh/Fe 3 O 4 single-atom catalyst: high-resolution infrared spectroscopy and near-ambient-pressure scanning tunnelling microscopy

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Authors: Nail El Hocine Barama, Chunlei Wang, Panukorn Sombut, David Rath, Adam Lagin, Martin Ormoš, Lena Puntscher, Faith J. Lewis, Zdeněk Jakub, Florian Kraushofer, Moritz Eder, Matthias Meier
+6 more Michael Schmid, Ulrike Diebold, Cesare Franchini, Peter Matvija, Jiří Pavelec, Gareth S. Parkinson
Cited by: 1
References: 69

Abstract

becomes accessible at millibar CO pressures as evidenced by near-ambient-pressure scanning tunnelling microscopy (NAP-STM). These findings link the UHV behaviour to that expected under realistic reaction conditions. Assignments of the vibrational frequencies to individual species rely on isotopic labelling, thermal treatments, and a review of previous SPM, XPS, and TPD data, supported by density functional theory (DFT)-based calculations. While theory provides qualitative insight, such as the instability of dicarbonyls on fivefold-coordinated Rh atoms, it does not yet reproduce experimental frequencies quantitatively and is sensitive to the computational parameters, highlighting the need for robust experimental benchmarks. The spectroscopic fingerprints established here provide a reliable foundation for identifying Rh coordination environments in oxide-supported single-atom catalysts.

Fields of Study & Subjects

CO2 Reduction Techniques and Catalysts Force Microscopy Techniques and Applications Electrocatalysts for Energy Conversion

Publication details

Journal / source
Faraday Discussions
Publisher
Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC)
Volume
267
Issue
0
Pages
172–195
Publication date
1 January 2026
Language
EN