Prof Hans-Peter Steinrück from the University of Erlangen-Nürnberg presents his in situ studies of surface reactions using high-resolution X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. He demonstrates three different examples concerning the adsorption of hydrocarbons.
The lecture is free and open to all. Seating is on a first-come, first-served basis.
X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS or ESCA) is a versatile tool to investigate chemical reactions on surfaces. At third generation synchrotron radiation facilities, such as BESSY II in Berlin, XPS studies can be performed with high resolution and in situ, during adsorption or during heating. From the binding energies of the adsorbate and substrate core levels, detailed information not only on the chemical composition, chemical state and adsorption sites, but also on the vibronic final state in the photoemission process itself can be derived. In this presentation, three different examples concerning the adsorption of hydrocarbons will be addressed. The first deals with the adsorption of small saturated and unsaturated hydrocarbons on metal surfaces. From high-resolution XP spectra, detailed information on adsorption sites, dissociation and the formation of new species are derived. The vibrational fine structure of the XP spectra is analyzed in detail and can be used to identify various surface intermediates. The second example addresses the formation of supported graphene on metal surfaces, including the introduction of hetero-atoms such as nitrogen and boron in the lattice. Finally, the third example concerns the adsorption and reaction of a much more complex molecule, namely the liquid organic hydrogen carrier (LOHC) dodecahydro-N-ethylcarbazole, on metal surfaces. Hydrogen storage in LOHCs is a possible future technology to circumvent the challenges in hydrogen storage.
About the speaker
Prof Hans-Peter Steinrück received his PhD in Physics from the Graz University of Technology in 1985. He was a postdoctoral fellow at Stanford University from 1985 to 1986, and received his Habilitation at the Technical University of Munich in 1992. After a sabbatical at Rutgers University, he became Professor of Experimental Physics at the University of Würzburg in 1993. He joined the University of Erlangen-Nürnberg in 1998, and was the Vice-President from 2006 to 2011. He is currently Chair of Physical Chemistry II.
Prof Steinrück’s main research interests include new materials with novel electronic, geometric and chemical properties, elementary steps of surface reactions and development and construction of scientific apparatus. His current research topics cover ionic liquid surface science, surface science with porphyrinoids, in situ studies of surface reactions, electron beam induced deposition, and chemically modified graphene layers.
Prof Steinrück received awards including the Young Researcher Award from the Federation of Austrian Industry and the Fritz Kohlrausch Prize from the Austrian Physical Society. He is a Member of Academia Europaea and a Fellow of the American Physical Society.
The lecture is free and open to all. Seating is on a first-come, first-served basis.
