Electrochemical Activation of Catalysis (2001).pdf

Electrochemical Activation
of Catalysis
Promotion, Electrochemical Promotion,
and Metal-Support Interactions
Costas G. Vayenas Symeon Bebelis
University of Patras University of Patras
Patras, Greece Patras, Greece
Costas Pliangos Susanne Brosda
University of Patras University of Patras
Patras, Greece Patras, Greece
Demetrios Tsiplakides
University of Patras
Patras, Greece
KLUWER ACADEMIC PUBLISHERS
NEW YORK, BOSTON, DORDRECHT, LONDON, MOSCOW
eBook ISBN: 0-306-47551-0
Print ISBN: 0-306-46719-4
©2002 Kluwer Academic Publishers
New York, Boston, Dordrecht, London, Moscow
Print ©2001 Kluwer Academic/Plenum Publishers
New York
All rights reserved
No part of this eBook may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic,
mechanical, recording, or otherwise, without written consent from the Publisher
Created in the United States of America
Visit Kluwer Online at:
and Kluwer's eBookstore at: http://ebooks.
To our parents and children
FOREWORD
I knew nothing of the work of C. G. Vayenas on NEMCA until the
early ies. Then I learned from a paper of his idea (gas interface reactions
could be catalyzed electrochemically), which seemed quite marvelous; but I
did not understand how it worked.
Consequently, I decided to correspond with Professor Vayenas in
Patras, Greece, to reach a better understanding of this concept. I think that my
early papers (1946, 1947, and 1957), on the relationship between the work
function of metal surfaces and electron transfer reactions thereat to particles in
solution, held me in good stead to be receptive to what Vayenas told me. As
the electrode potential changes, so of course, does the work function at the
interface, and gas metal reactions there involve adsorbed particles which have
bonding to the surface. Whether electron transfer plete in such a case, or
whether the effect is on the desorption of radicals, the work function
determines the strength of their bonding, and if on