STM studies of methanol oxidation to formate on Cu(110) surfaces: I. sequential dosing experiments

We have used STM to study the oxidation of methanol (CH3OH and CD3OH) to fo rmate on Cu(110) surfaces. Our observations resolve the conflicting conclus ions found in a variety of previous studies. We find that, over time, seque ntial dosing of oxygen followed by methanol onto Cu(110) surfaces will resu lt in quantities of adsorbed formate molecules. These formate molecules, ho wever, can be quite mobile on the surface and thus difficult to image via S TM. We have developed and tested a methodology of performing STM experiment s by which we can trap rapidly diffusing formate molecules into structures which can be imaged. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.