We have investigated the surface reactivities of Ni/Pt(111) bimetallic
model catalysts using ethylene and cyclohexene as probing molecules.
The bimetallic surfaces were generated by evaporating Ni onto a Pt(111
) single-crystal surface held at 600 K. The surface chemistry was inve
stigated using high-resolution electron energy loss spectroscopy (HREE
LS), Auger electron spectroscopy (AES), temperature-programmed desorpt
ion (TPD) and low-energy electron diffraction (LEED). The reactivities
of the bimetallic surfaces were compared with those of the clean Pt(1
11) surface and a thick Ni(111) film on the Pt(111) substrate. Formati
on of the bimetallic surface led to a significantly reduced reactivity
towards the decomposition of ethylene when compared to either Pt(111)
or Ni(111)/Pt(111) surfaces. Furthermore, although the surface reacti
vity towards cyclohexene was retained for the bimetallic surface, the
decomposition mechanism was distinctly altered from that of either Pt(
111) or Ni(111)/Pt(111) surfaces.