Understanding and Predicting Trends in ORR Activity on Transition-Metal Catalysts

2 Understanding and Predicting Trends in ORR Activity on Transition-Metal Catalysts 

A way to stretch or compress metal surface atoms in a controlled way is to deposit them on top of a substrate with similar crystal symmetry, yet with different atomic diameter and lattice constant. Such a single monolayer of a metal supported on another is called an overlayer. Metal overlayers strive to approach the lattice constant of their substrate without fully attaining it hence, they are strained compared to their own bulk state [24, 25]. The choice of suitable metal substrates enables tuning of the strain in the overlayer and of the chemisorption energy of adsorbates. A Pt monolayer on a Cu substrate, for instance, was shown to bind adsorbates much weaker than bulk platinum due to compressive strain induced by the lattice mismatch between Pt and Cu, with Cu being smaller [26]. 

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