Promoter-induced reactive phase separation in surface reactions

Phys Rev Lett. 2004 May 14;92(19):198305. doi: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.92.198305. Epub 2004 May 14.

Abstract

Promoters are adsorbed mobile species which do not directly participate in a catalytic surface reaction, but can influence its rate. Often, they are characterized by strong attractive interactions with one of the reactants. We show that these conditions lead to a Turing instability of the uniform state and to the formation of reaction-induced periodic concentration patterns. Experimentally such patterns are observed in catalytic water formation on a Rh(110) surface in the presence of coadsorbed potassium.