Surfaces, bond types

Before entering the detailed discussion of physical and chemical adsorption in the next two chapters, it is worthwhile to consider briefly and in relatively general terms what type of information can be obtained about the chemical and structural state of the solid-adsorbate complex. The term complex is used to avoid the common practice of discussing adsorption as though it occurred on an inert surface. Three types of effects are actually involved (1) the effect of the adsorbent on the molecular structure of the adsorbate, (2) the effect of the adsorbate on the structure of the adsorbent, and (3) the character of the direct bond or local interaction between an adsorption site and the adsorbate. 

One of the aims of the crystallographic studies is to visualize the spatial conditions of non-H-bond type of interactions. Van der Waals forces (dispersion and exchange repulsion) and polarization are representatives of such interactive forces. They are governed by geometric features such as contact surfaces and volumes of the host and guest matrices. 

When the combined system of adatom and substrate is in its ground state, so that the lowest energy levels are each doubly occupied with an a- and a /2-spin electron, then, if two electrons are in a localized level, a localized surface bond will be formed. However, if the localized level is unoccupied, then an adbond formation will be achieved without localization of the bonding electrons (i.e., only delocalized electrons will be involved in the adbond). In the case of electron localization, the type of adbond is determined by the charge order of the adatom state, namely,... 

In the second part of this Chapter the thickness of the organic layer under discussion is slightly increased and a closer look at recent developments of more complex surface-bonded systems involving polymers is outlined. Despite the introduction of flexible polymer chains, the surface coating should still be defined and uncontrolled heterogeneities minimized. Here, especially, polymer brush-type layers where self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) are used as two-dimensional template systems for the preparation of well-defined surface coatings will be subject of a more detailed discussion. 

For many applications such as catalysis and possible functional devices, SAMs are simply too thin, the organized structure not flexible enough or the sterical situation within the layer too confined in order to incorporate a desired function or respond to changes in the environment in a dynamic and reversible way. One approach to increase the layer thickness of well-ordered self-assembled stractures of up to 100 nm is the formation of SAM and LB multilayers by means of consecutive preparation steps (Fig. 9.1 (3)) [5, 108]. This strategy was successfully applied by several research groups, but requires the constant intervention of the experimenter to put one type of monomolecular layer on top of the other. The dynamic behavior of the layer is limited by the crystal-like organization of the system and the extreme confinement of all surface-bonded molecules. Hence, surface... 

Clay minerals behave like Bronsted acids, donating protons, or as Lewis acids (Sect. 6.3), accepting electron pairs. Catalytic reactions on clay surfaces involve surface Bronsted and Lewis acidity and the hydrolysis of organic molecules, which is affected by the type of clay and the clay-saturating cation involved in the reaction. Dissociation of water molecules coordinated to surface, clay-bound cations contributes to the formation active protons, which is expressed as a Bronsted acidity. This process is affected by the clay hydration status, the polarizing power of the surface bond, and structural cations on mineral colloids (Mortland 1970, 1986). On the other hand, ions such as A1 and Fe, which are exposed at the edge of mineral clay coUoids, induce the formation of Lewis acidity (McBride 1994). 

We then studied group 5 metals, especially tantalum-for which the laboratory already had great experience. Because of the studied reaction, alkyl or hydride-type compounds such as those developed in the laboratory could not be employed. Consequently, we became interested in alkoxo-type derivatives, either synthesized by reaction of the grafted complex with an alcohol or obtained by direct synthesis starting from an alkoxy-tantalum compound grafted on silica. In all cases, resulting complexes have been characterized by surface organometallic chemistry techniques, especially EXAFS and solid-state NMR (ID and 2D with C-labeled compounds). Indeed various compounds bonded by one, two or three surface bonds have been prepared and characterized. 

Surface Bond Energies Thermochemical data are very scant in the area of oxygen chemisorption (57). These data would be of great value for interpreting spectroscopic and kinetic data and for the analysis of reaction mechanisms. The vast majority of the available data are for low oxidation state systems (55). Although calorimetry offers a means for direct measurements, for analysis of reaction pathways it is necessary to have detailed values for many types of species (M-OH, MO-H, M-OR, M-R, M-O, M-H), and these are usually... 

Atoms in the free surface of solids (with no neighbors) have a higher free energy than those in the interior and surface energy can be estimated from the number of surface bonds (Cottrell 1971). We have discussed non-stoichiometric ceramic oxides like titania, FeO and UO2 earlier where matter is transported by the vacancy mechanism. Segregation of impurities at surfaces or interfaces is also important, with equilibrium and non-equilibrium conditions deciding the type of defect complexes that can occur. Simple oxides like MgO can have simple anion or cation vacancies when surface and Mg + are removed from the surface,... 

Figure 1.9. The local aligned-bridge adsorption sites of the formate (HCOO-) species on Cu(110) and Cu(100). Also shown is the cross-bridge site on Cu(100) originally proposed as a new type of surface bond but subsequently shown to be incorrect.

The electronic structure of the surface chemical bond is discussed in depth in the present chapter for a number of example systems taken from the five categories of bonding types (i) atomic radical, (ii) diatomics with unsaturated -systems (Blyholder model), (iii) unsaturated hydrocarbons (Dewar-Chatt-Duncanson model), (iv) lone pair interactions, and (v) saturated hydrocarbons (physisorption). 

Ito et al. (74) obtained a room-temperature spectrum of ethane adsorbed on an evaporated film of palladium. Absorptions were observed at 2850 and 2700 cm 1 characteristic of an alkyl species. The soft vCH 2700-cm 1 band implies the presence of agostic hydrogen-bond-type interactions of C-H bonds with surface metal atoms. 

---