Related papers: Insights into the function of silver as an oxidati…
The phase diagram of oxygen is investigated for pressures from 50 to 130~GPa and temperatures up 1200 K using first principles theory. A metallic molecular structure with the $P6_3/mmc$ symmetry ($\eta^{'}$ phase) is determined to be…
Epitaxial silicene, which is one single layer of silicon atoms packed in a honeycomb structure, demonstrates a strong interaction with the substrate that dramatically affects its electronic structure. The role of electronic coupling in the…
Present knowledge of the function of materials is largely based on studies (experimental and theoretical) that are performed at low temperatures and ultra-low pressures. However, the majority of everyday applications, like e.g. catalysis,…
We report that calculating the Gibbs free energy of the alpha-Al_2O_3 (0001) surfaces in equilibrium with a realistic environment containing both oxygen and hydrogen species is essential for obtaining theoretical predictions consistent with…
The adsorption of atomic oxygen and its inclusion into subsurface sites on Ag(210) and Ag(410) surfaces have been investigated using density functional theory. We find that--in the absence of adatoms on the first metal layer--subsurface…
Using CoOx thin films supported on Au(111) single crystal surfaces as model catalysts for the CO oxidation reaction we show that three reaction regimes exist in response to chemical and topographic restructuring of the CoOx catalyst as a…
The structure and dynamics of atomic oxygen adsorbed on Ag(410) and Ag(210) surfaces have been investigated using density functional theory. Our results show that the adsorption configuration in which O adatoms decorate the upper side of…
Electrochemical reduction is a promising way to make use of CO$_2$ as feedstock for generating renewable fuel and valuable chemicals. Several metals can be used in the electrocatalyst to generate CO and formic acid but hydrogen formation is…
Ammonia oxidation on platinum catalysts is pivotal for industrial nitric acid production and environmental abatement, yet the role of surface oxides in this process remains debated. Using operando surface X-ray diffraction (SXRD), crystal…
Subsurface oxygen in oxide-derived copper catalysts significantly influences CO$_2$ activation. However, its effect on the molecular charging process, the key to forming the CO$_2^{\delta-}$ intermediate, remains poorly understood. We…
We present a first-principles atomistic thermodynamics framework to describe the structure, composition and segregation profile of an alloy surface in contact with a (reactive) environment. The method is illustrated with the application to…
The deposition of one silicon monolayer on the silver (111) substrate in the temperature range 150-300$^\circ$C, gives rise to a mix of (4$\times$4), ($2\sqrt{3}\times 2\sqrt{3}$)R30$^\circ$ and ($\sqrt{13}\times\sqrt{13}$)R13.9$^\circ$…
The durability of passivable metals and alloys is often limited by the stability of the surface oxide film, the passive film, providing self-protection against corrosion in aggressive environments. Improving this stability requires to…
Using density-functional theory in combination with a thermodynamic formalism we calculate the relative stability of various structural models of the polar O-terminated (000-1)-O surface of ZnO. Model surfaces with different concentrations…
If metal surfaces are exposed to sufficiently oxygen-rich environments, oxides start to form. Important steps in this process are the dissociative adsorption of oxygen at the surface, the incorporation of O atoms into the surface, the…
We report on a computational study of the clean and oxygen-covered Rh(110) surface, based on density-functional theory within the local-density approximation. We have used plane-wave basis sets and Vanderbilt ultra-soft pseudopotentials.…
Polar perovskite oxide surfaces are subject to structural reconstruction as a possible stabilisation mechanisms, which changes the surface structure and hence the surface chemistry. To investigate this effect, we study the oxygen evolution…
Surface diffusion on metal oxides is key in many areas of materials technology, yet it has been scarcely explored at the atomic scale. This work provides phenomenological insights from scanning tunneling microscopy on the link between…
To enhance our understanding of oxidation in high-entropy alloys, the early stages of oxidation on the surface of Al10Nb15Ta5Ti30Zr40 were studied using density functional theory and thermodynamic modeling. Surface slabs were generated from…
By simulating the dissociation of O2 molecules on the Be(0001) surface using the first-principles molecular dynamics approach, we propose a new atomistic model for the surface oxidation of sp metals. In our model, only the dissociation of…