CMSP Seminar Series at ICTP Luigi Stasi Seminar Room: Thursday 31 March 11.30 a.m. - Erik VESSELLI

[Condensed Matter Section]

ICTP Seminar Series in Condensed Matter & Statistical Physics

Thursday 31 March - 11.30 a.m.

Luigi Stasi Seminar Room, first floor, Leonardo building


Speaker:
Erik VESSELLI (University of Trieste & IOM-CNR Laboratorio TASC)


Title:
"Heterogeneous Catalytic Reduction of CO and CO2: From Ultra-high Vacuum 
to Ambient Conditions, From surface Science to Biomimetic Systems"


Abstract:
The catalytic reduction of carbon mono- and di-oxide is a process
that is effectively exploited in nature to synthesize energy vectors. 
Applicative devices based on heterogeneous (electro)-catalytic 
conversion may be inspired by biomimetic approaches. However, atomic 
level insight into the reaction mechanisms in order to yield engineering 
opportunities requires combined experimental and theoretical 
investigations at different levels of complexity, thus crossing over 
material and pressure gaps back and forth. Starting
from surface science investigations of the interaction of carbon dioxide 
with single crystal surfaces under ultra-high vacuum conditions, 
selected case studies will be presented, ending with single-atom and 
solid-liquid catalytic phases. In particular, I will illustrate results 
that were obtained by means of X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and 
IR-Vis SFG vibrational spectroscopy and corroborated by STM imaging and 
ab initio simulations.