Surface Science Studies of Catalysed Reactions on Platinum Surfaces

Advances in platinum catalyst technology applied to hydrocarbon conversion have resulted in substantial improvements in the selectivity and durability of the processes. However, our understanding of the mechanism of the complex reactions involved, and in particular of their relationship to the physical and chemical properties of the catalyst, remains incomplete. This paper reviews important work carried out over the last ten years on the role of atomic sites on platinum surfaces and also presents for the first time a molecular model of the working platinum catalyst surface.