Probing the Influence of Alloyed Sn on Pt(100) Surface Chemistry by CO Chemisorption

The chemisorption properties of the c(2×2) and (3√2×√2)R45° Sn/Pt(100) alloy surfaces, along with the clean Pt(100) surface, were investigated using CO as a probe molecule. Temperature-programmed desorption (TPD) studies revealed a reduction in CO desorption peak temperature, and thus the chemisorption bond energy, by alloying Sn into the Pt(100) surface. A large decrease was observed in the saturation coverage of CO on these alloyed surfaces at 150 K compared to the Pt(100) surface. The initial sticking coefficient of CO was found, however, to be nearly independent of the surface Sn concentration. High-resolution electron energy loss spectroscopy (HREELS) studies showed that CO was only chemisorbed on atop sites on both alloys. Sn incorporation results in isolated Pt atoms at the surface of these two Sn/Pt(100) alloys and eliminates the possibility of CO bonding to multiple Pt centers, i.e., to pure-Pt 2- and 3-fold bridging sites.