Surface Characterization of Metal Oxide Overlayers

The structure and composition of titania deposited on the surface of a Rh foil or single crystal were investigated using ISS, AES, and XPS. The effects of the overlayer on the hydrogenation of carbon monoxide and the hydrogenolysis of ethane were examined. With increasing titania coverage, the activity of Rh for carbon monoxide hydrogenation passes through a maximum, whereas the activity for ethane hydrogenolysis decreases monotonically.