From dull to shiny: A novel setup for reflectance difference analysis under catalytic conditions

Willem G Onderwaater; Andriy Taranovskyy; G Marien Bremmer; Gertjan C van Baarle; Joost W M Frenken; Irene M N Groot

doi:10.1063/1.4975930

From dull to shiny: A novel setup for reflectance difference analysis under catalytic conditions

Rev Sci Instrum. 2017 Feb;88(2):023704. doi: 10.1063/1.4975930.

Authors

Willem G Onderwaater¹, Andriy Taranovskyy¹, G Marien Bremmer¹, Gertjan C van Baarle², Joost W M Frenken¹, Irene M N Groot¹

Affiliations

¹ Huygens-Kamerlingh Onnes Laboratory, Leiden University, P.O. Box 9504, 2300 RA Leiden, The Netherlands.
² Leiden Probe Microscopy B.V., J.H. Oortweg 19, 2333 CH Leiden, The Netherlands.

PMID: 28249468
DOI: 10.1063/1.4975930

Abstract

We have developed an experimental setup for optically monitoring a catalytically active surface under reaction conditions. A flow reactor with optical access allows us to image the behavior of an active catalyst surface down to the millimeter length scale. We use reflectance difference measurements with 625 nm light to investigate CO oxidation on Pd(100) at 300 mbar and 320 °C. We conclude that the changes in visible contrast result from the formation of an oxide layer after surface oxidation.