SusChEM: Chemical Dynamics of Polyatomic Molecules at Surfaces: New Insights from State-Selected Studies

该奖项由化学系化学结构、动力学和机理(CSDM-A)计划资助，塔夫茨大学的Arthur Utz教授和他的研究生和本科生同事正在研究分子在催化活性金属表面上的振动激发的反应性。科学家们认为，一些表面上的金属原子振动可能会显著增强表面分子的反应性。乌茨教授的研究使用具有振动激发的分子来探测各种金属表面上的这种效应。这类研究的目标是更多地了解如何通过催化金属表面来提高气体表面的反应性。这样的研究可能会为改进工业过程中的催化剂开辟道路。在UTZ小组工作的学生接受超高真空方法以及激光和复杂光学系统的使用培训。乌茨教授和他的团队还参与了对波士顿服务不足的学校的教育推广。Arthur Utz和他的研究小组进行了详细的表面分子散射实验，以探索表面金属振动如何调节各种过渡金属表面的催化反应活性。激光被用来激发分子中的振动，分子束入射到各种过渡金属表面。通过监测不同产品的生产作为表面温度和波纹的函数，来探讨反应性的差异。待研究的特定反应气体包括：水、氨、甲醇、二氧化碳、乙烷和甲烷。要研究的金属包括：镍、铂、铜和Ru。要问的问题包括：(1)因素是什么(例如解离碎片和/或金属表面的特性、局部表面结构等)。这导致了反应性的显著调节，这种效应有多普遍？(2)在给定的振动激发水平下，配位不足的原子可能经历较大幅度运动的反应性调节更大吗？(3)状态分辨反应性测量的表面温度相关性能否用于确定反应机理的细节(例如，势垒高度确定)？UTZ研究小组包括本科生(塔夫茨大学和斯通希尔学院)积极参与真实研究。在波士顿唐人街附近的Josiah Quincy High School，教育外展与教师一起设计实践活动，以补充课程标准。

In this award, funded by the Chemical Structure, Dynamics and Mechanisms (CSDM-A) Program of the Division of Chemistry, Professor Arthur Utz of Tufts University and his graduate and undergraduate student colleagues are studying the reactivity of molecules with vibrational excitation on catalytically-active metal surfaces. Scientists believe that metal-atom vibrations on some surfaces may significantly enhance the reactivity of molecules on the surface. Prof. Utz's research uses molecules with vibrational excitation to probe this effect on a variety of metal surfaces. The goal of research like this is to learn more about the way that gas-surface reactivity can be enhanced with catalytic metal surfaces. Studies like this could lead the way to improved catalysts for industrial processes. Students working in the Utz group receive training in ultrahigh vacuum methods as well as in the use of lasers and sophisticated optical systems. Prof. Utz and his group are also involved in educational outreach to underserved schools in Boston.Prof. Arthur Utz and his research group conduct detailed surface-molecule scattering experiments to probe the ways in which surface metal vibrations modulate catalytic reactivity on a variety of transition metal surfaces. Lasers are used to excite vibrations in molecules entrained in a molecular beam incident upon a variety of transition metal surfaces. Differences in reactivity are probed by monitoring the production of different products as a function of surface temperature and corrugation. Specific reactant gases to be studied include: water, ammonia, methanol, carbon dioxide, ethane and methane. Metals to be studied include: Ni, Pt, Cu and Ru. Questions to be asked include: (1) What are the factors (e.g. identity of dissociation fragments and/or metal surface, local surface structure, etc.) that result in significant modulation of reactivity, and how general is this effect? (2) Is the modulation of reactivity greater at under-coordinated atoms that may undergo larger amplitude motion at a given level of vibrational excitation? (3) Can surface temperature dependence of state-resolved reactivity measurements be used to ascertain details of reaction mechanisms (e.g. barrier height determination)? The Utz research group includes active involvement by undergraduates (Tufts University as well as Stonehill College) in authentic research. Educational outreach takes place with teachers at Josiah Quincy Upper School in Boston's Chinatown neighborhood, designing hands-on activities that complement curricular standards.