The Chameleonic Surface

A quick survey of the literature reveals a confusing picture of the mechanism or mechanisms of surface reactions and the role or roles of the catalyst surface. A contributing factor is that different investigators are approaching surface reaction mechanisms from different points of view. In a very general way, there are three groups of investigators. 

First there are the physical chemists, chemical engineers, and surface scientists, who study mainly nonpolar hydrocarbon reactions on clean and relatively clean metals and metal oxides. These have been the traditional studies formerly driven by the petroleum industry and now driven by environmental concerns. These workers typically treat the surface as a real entity composed of active sites (usually not identified, but believed in). These investigators typically, although not always, interpret mechanisms in terms of radical reactions on metals and in terms of acid-base reactions on metal oxides. 

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