Our research focuses on the fundamental understanding of working mechanisms of nano-materials used in catalytic processes related to energy production and atmospheric pollutant control using modern surface science techniques under ultrahigh vacuum conditions. The catalytic systems include oxides and oxide-supported metal nanoparticles. Of particularly interest is to understand the relationship between catalyst surface structure and reactivity to provide knowledge for improving the performance of existing catalysts as well as for designing of new catalytic materials and technology. Surface science techniques used in the research include X-ray photoemission spectroscopy (XPS), temperature programmed desorption (TPD), low energy electron diffraction (LEED), and scanning tunneling microscopy (STM).
