Dynamic transformation between bilayer islands and dinuclear clusters of Cr oxide on Au(111) through environment and interface effects

Zhiyu Yi; Le Lin; Yuan Chang; Xuda Luo; Junfeng Gao; Rentao Mu; Yanxiao Ning; Qiang Fu; Xinhe Bao

doi:10.1073/pnas.2120716119

Dynamic transformation between bilayer islands and dinuclear clusters of Cr oxide on Au(111) through environment and interface effects

Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2022 May 31;119(22):e2120716119. doi: 10.1073/pnas.2120716119. Epub 2022 May 23.

Authors

Zhiyu Yi^{1

2}, Le Lin^{1

3}, Yuan Chang⁴, Xuda Luo^{1

2}, Junfeng Gao⁴, Rentao Mu¹, Yanxiao Ning¹, Qiang Fu¹, Xinhe Bao¹

Affiliations

¹ State Key Laboratory of Catalysis, iChEM, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian 116023, China.
² University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China.
³ School of Physical Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China.
⁴ Key Laboratory of Material Modification by Laser, Ion and Electron Beams, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024, China.

Abstract

SignificanceFor oxide catalysts, it is important to elucidate and further control their atomic structures. In this work, well-defined CrO₂ bilayer islands and Cr₂O₇ dinuclear clusters have been grown on Au(111) and unambiguously identified by scanning tunneling microscopy and theoretical calculations. Upon cycled redox treatments, the two kinds of oxide nanostructures can be reversibly transformed. It is interesting to note that both Cr oxides do not exist in bulk but need to be stabilized by the metal surface and the specific environment. Our results suggest that both redox atmosphere and interface confinement effects can be used to construct an oxide nanostructure with the specific chemical state and structure.

Keywords: chromium oxide; confinement effect; inverse catalysts; oxide clusters; surface catalysis.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't