Kinetics and Reactions

Additional Information

A set of EMSL capabilities has been developed to study the kinetics and reactions of surface processes as well as for gas-phase cluster and solution-phase studies. Specific capabilities include photoelectron spectroscopy, catalysis, desorption, molecular beam kinetics tools, high-pressure catalysis reaction chambers attached to UHV instruments and Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy, high-resolution electron energy loss spectroscopy, and transient kinetic analyses. These capabilities enable EMSL users to study the dynamics and kinetics of molecular interactions at a variety of surfaces and interfaces with exceptional resolution.

The high-resolution data generated from these capabilities lend themselves to kinetic modeling that can lead to a fundamental molecular level understanding. In addition to advancing scientific understanding, the goal of EMSL's Kinetics and Reactions Capabilities is to develop predictive capabilities for the rational design of catalysts and nano-materials with improved energy efficiencies, sensor sensitivities, and other tailored characteristics. Significant research topics addressed include:

Catalyst research – to test catalyst efficiency; measure gas-solid reaction rates; measure kinetics of gas-phase reactions; study mechanisms of room-temperature photocatalysis; determine structure and composition of catalyst surfaces; as well as obtain information about the concentration of reaction intermediates, the oxidation state(s) of surface constituents, and the structure of active surface sites
Desorption investigations – to understand non-thermal interfacial processes, including those in liquids and at liquid interfaces; probe details of low-energy electron bombardment on both clean and adsorbate-covered surfaces; and detail the effects of low-energy electron- and ultraviolet photon-stimulated desorption in thin films of ice, metal oxides, and salt substrates
Molecule-surface interaction studies – to detail, with unprecedented resolution and by employing surface science, molecular beam, and laser technologies, energetics, dynamics, and kinetics of molecule-surface interactions with an emphasis on processes occurring on metal oxide surfaces
High-resolution ion deposition studies – to investigate the species and mechanisms important to organic chemistry, inorganic chemistry, biochemistry, electrochemistry, radical chemistry, as well as solid materials and catalysis research
Amorphous solid water films – as models for thermal and electron stimulated reactions, solvation, diffusion, and other processes occurring in liquid water and to develop a fundamental molecular level understanding of surfaces of water, aqueous solutions, and of bare and adsorbate-covered ice surfaces

Capability Detail

Refer to the table below for a listing of EMSL Kinetics and Reaction capabilities, which lead to additional information about each of our supporting instruments. Brief summaries about some of the primary kinetics and reactions tools available to EMSL users are given below.

Mass-selected ion deposition system designed for controlling soft landing energies (0-500 eV) and spot sizes as small as 1 mm in diameter
Coupled photoelectron spectroscopy-electrospray source developed to investigate multiply charged anions and solution-phase species in the gas phase
High-pressure reaction chambers coupled with UHV surface science capabilities to understand reaction mechanisms
Atmospheric pressure reactor system designed to test the efficiency of various catalysts for the treatment of gas-phase pollutants
Liquid-beam source designed to produce micron-sized beams of homogeneous liquids and heterogeneous solutions in a high-vacuum environment
Surface dynamics/ion deposition system designed to produce either positive or negative ions, including ions that depend on ion-neutral reactions