Micro- and nano-patterned electrodes for the study and control of spillover processes in catalysis

An exciting opportunity exists to exploit recent advances in techniques used in the micro- and nano- fabrication of semiconductor devices to fabricate and evaluate families of model catalysts. Such technologies can, in principle, be used to control the spatial arrangement of components on, e.g., a catalyst surface. We intend to employ such techniques for the preparation of micro- and nano-structured model supported-metal catalyst structures with metal features varying by more than three orders of magnitude (from approximately 100 nm to 1 mm in lengthscale). This proposal is motivated by the need to study the catalyst-support boundary and its role in heterogeneous catalysis if we are ever to improve our understanding of heterogeneous catalytic systems under real 'high pressure' operating conditions (crucially, although it is acknowledged that this interface can critically influence catalyst performance, there is a lack of ways to study its role). In order to be able to probe the interfacial region between support and catalyst electrochemically we will work with structured catalysts in the form of continuous electrodes deposited on an oxide solid-electrolyte support and compare the behaviour in such systems with similar model catalysts supported on more complex supports, but of greater practical interest, such as titania. We will focus on noble metals supported on oxides; such catalyst systems being widely employed industrially and there being evidence that the activity of such catalysts can be influenced by spillover processes as a result of 'electrochemical promotion'. The project brings together an outstanding team of scientists and engineers that is ideally suited to address the work which we anticipate will influence the way we view heterogeneous catalysis in the future.