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J. Phys. Chem. C 2009, 113, 1486–1494
Exploring the Role of Zn in PdZn Reforming Catalysts: Adsorption and Reaction of Ethanol and Acetaldehyde on Two-dimensional PdZn Alloys Eseoghene Jeroro and John M. Vohs* Department of Chemical and Bimolecular Engineering, UniVersity of PennsylVania, Philadelphia, PennsylVania 19104-6363 ReceiVed: September 4, 2008; ReVised Manuscript ReceiVed: December 5, 2008
The adsorption and reaction of ethanol and acetaldehyde on two-dimensional PdZn alloys on Pd(111) were studied with use of temperature-programmed desorption (TPD) and high-resolution electron energy loss spectroscopy (HREELS). Incorporation of Zn into the Pd(111) surface was found to decrease the dehydrogenation activity and alter the activation energies for C-H bond scission in adsorbed ethoxide, acetaldehyde, and acetyl intermediates. Large changes in the stability of adsorbed intermediates were observed on Zn/Pd(111) surfaces with Zn coverages
