Nanoplasmonic Probes of Catalytic Reactions

Abstract

Plasmonic Probing of Catalysis An understanding of catalytic reactions on surfaces, such as those used in industrial processes, often requires some measure of reactant concentration on the surface. Often this is expressed as the surface coverage of metal particles that are dispersed on oxide supports. Although optical probes of surface coverage would be convenient, they usually lack sufficient sensitivity to detect the small number of molecules on the surface. Larsson et al. (p. 1091 , published online 22 October) have used shifts in plasmon resonances to measure surface coverages. They grow oxide coatings, decorated with metal catalyst particles, on a nanoscale gold disk, and find that these model catalysts are within the region of plasmon sensitivity. Reactions such as CO oxidation on platinum can be followed for different ratios of reactant gases with a sensitivity of 0.1 monolayer of surface coverage.