Partial Oxidation Reaction of Methanol on Cu/MnO Thin Films Grown on Ni (100) Surface

Abstract

Partial oxidation reaction of methanol has been investigated on Cu/MnO thin films grown on Ni (100) surface in an ultra high vacuum (UHV) system combined with a reaction cell. The partial oxidation reaction of methanol proceeds on the Cu/MnO surfaces with Cu films thicker than 1.5 ML at a lower temperature of 470 K, in consistent with the activity of copper manganese oxide catalysts prepared by co-precipitation method. Post-reaction surface analysis by 2p X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and LMM Auger electron spectroscopy (AES) of Cu and Mn have demonstrated that Cu⁺ species exist as Cu₂O overlayers which are stabilized by MnO underlayers acting as a template during the reaction. It is proposed that partial oxidation reaction of methanol proceeds through surface formate destabilized on the Cu₂O overlayers at lower temperatures. [DOI: 10.1380/ejssnt.2009.898]