DESIGN OF A SURFACE ALLOY CATALYST FOR STEAM REFORMING

Detailed studies of elementary chemical processes on well-characterize d single crystal surfaces have contributed substantially to the unders tanding of heterogeneous catalysis. insight into the structure of surf ace alloys combined with an understanding of the relation between the surface composition and reactivity is shown to lead directly to new id eas for catalyst design, The feasibility of such an approach is illust rated by the synthesis, characterization, and tests of a high-surface area gold-nickel catalyst for steam reforming.