Deborah Perco: Oxidation and model chemical reaction on size-selected supported nanoclusters

Nanocatalysis Department Seminar
Tuesday, September 17th, 2024, 15:00h

Abstract
Describing the oxidation and the adsorption of simple molecules on solid surfaces can be straightforward. X-Ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) is among the most used experimental technique to study model chemical reaction. However, is there any difference when dealing with nanostructures? In this talk, I will focus on the study of the oxidation process of Feₙ and Wₙ deposited on epitaxial graphene and on the variations with respect to bulk matter. Combining High Resolution synchrotron based XPS and ab initio DFT calculations, we found for Wₙ nanoclusters a strong relationship between core level binding energies and W-O bond lengths, given by then on crystallinity of the system that makes impossible to assign a proper oxidation state to W atoms. Regarding Feₙ nanoclusters, we have been able to link core level shifts to the density of the state near Fermi level and, thus, to the reactivity of the system. Eventually, I will discuss the CO adsorption on Moₙ nanoclusters deposited on epitaxial graphene highlighting the size and temperature dependence of the process.

Deborah Perco is a PhD student in Physics of the University of Trieste. She got bachelor and master degreeat the Universityof Triesteand is currently enrolled in the second year of PhD. Her research activity is carriedout at the Nanoscale Materials Laboratory, located at Elettra synchrotron facility in Trieste, under the supervision of Prof.Alessandro Baraldi.