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The atomic structure of low-index surfaces of the intermetallic compound InPd

McGuirk GM, Ledieu J, Gaudry É, de Weerd MC, Hahne M, Gille P, Ivarsson DCA, Armbrüster M, Ardini J, Held G, Maccherozzi F, Bayer A, Lowe M, Pussi K, Diehl RD, Fournee V (2015)

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Publication Type: Journal article, Original article

Publication year: 2015

Journal

Publisher: American Institute of Physics (AIP)

Book Volume: 143

Pages Range: 074705 1-12

Journal Issue: 7

DOI: 10.1063/1.4928650

Abstract

The intermetallic compound InPd (CsCl type of crystal structure with a broad compositional range) is considered as a candidate catalyst for the steam reforming of methanol. Single crystals of this phase have been grown to study the structure of its three low-index surfaces under ultra-high vacuum conditions, using low energy electron diffraction (LEED), X-ray photoemission spectroscopy (XPS), and scanning tunneling microscopy (STM). During surface preparation, preferential sputtering leads to a depletion of In within the top few layers for all three surfaces. The near-surface regions remain slightly Pd-rich until annealing to ∼580 K. A transition occurs between 580 and 660 K where In segregates towards the surface and the near-surface regions become slightly In-rich above ∼660 K. This transition is accompanied by a sharpening of LEED patterns and formation of flat step-terrace morphology, as observed by STM. Several superstructures have been identified for the different surfaces associated with this process. Annealing to higher temperatures (≥750 K) leads to faceting via thermal etching as shown for the (110) surface, with a bulk In composition close to the In-rich limit of the existence domain of the cubic phase. The Pd-rich InPd(111) is found to be consistent with a Pd-terminated bulk truncation model as shown by dynamical LEED analysis while, after annealing at higher temperature, the In-rich InPd(111) is consistent with an In-terminated bulk truncation, in agreement with density functional theory (DFT) calculations of the relative surface energies. More complex surface structures are observed for the (100) surface. Additionally, individual grains of a polycrystalline sample are characterized by micro-spot XPS and LEED as well as low-energy electron microscopy. Results from both individual grains and “global” measurements are interpreted based on comparison to our single crystals findings, DFT calculations and previous literature.

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APA:

McGuirk, G.M., Ledieu, J., Gaudry, É., de Weerd, M.-C., Hahne, M., Gille, P.,... Fournee, V. (2015). The atomic structure of low-index surfaces of the intermetallic compound InPd. Journal of Chemical Physics, 143(7), 074705 1-12. https://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.4928650

MLA:

McGuirk, Garry M., et al. "The atomic structure of low-index surfaces of the intermetallic compound InPd." Journal of Chemical Physics 143.7 (2015): 074705 1-12.

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