Surface Chemistry

Currently we are following four major research lines:

1. Nanoclusters on supports. Application of molecular beam scattering techniques to characterize the morphology and reactivity (SAR, Structure Activity Relationship) of catalyst surfaces. A molecular beam might be compared with a LASER system, however, instead of monochromatic light we use supersonic and nearly monochromatic particle beams. We focus our attention on the reactivity of metal nanoparticles which are adsorbed on metal oxide supports. These topics are related to heterogeneous catalysis and material science applications.
2. Nanotubes. We started to work on nanotubes (NTs) including carbon NTs and TiO2 NTs which are used as support in heterogeneous catalysis.
3. “Coal combustion”. Projects related to a DoE state grant concern the reactivity of CaO, graphite, and iron oxide surfaces.
4. MCS. Modeling of the obtained results by Monte Carlo Simulations (MCS) and kinetic (time resolved) Monte Carlo Simulations.

Selected Publications

Adsorption of  CO₂ on  oxidized,  defected,  hydrogen,  and   oxygen   covered  rutile  (1x1)-TiO₂ (110),  PCCP - Physical  Chemistry  Chemical Physics, 8 (2006)  4805-4813,  by S. Funk, U. Burghaus  

CO₂ adsorption on the bimetallic Zn-on-Cu(110) system,
by  S. Funk, B. Hokkanen, U. Burghaus (NDSU), G. Bozzolo (Ohio Aerospace Institute and NASA Glenn Research Center), J.E. Garcés (Centro Atómico Bariloche, CNEA, 8400 Bariloche, Argentina), Surface Science 600 (2006) 1870-1876  

A Practical Guide to Monte Carlo Simulations and Classical Molecular Dynamics Simulations -An Example Book-,
Nova Science Publishers, textbook,   (2006)   
ISBN: 1-59454-531-6
by U. Burghaus (Dept.of Chemistry, North Dakota State University),
J. Stephan (Fraunhofer Microelectronics Alliance, Berlin, Germany),
L. Vattuone (Struttura della Materia at the University of Genova, Italy),
J.M. Rogowsk (Institute of Experimental Physics, University of Wroc?aw, Poland ).

Adsorption of CO on the copper precovered Zn-ZnO surface, Journal of Chemical Physics 123 (2005) 184716-(12), by J. Wang, U. Burghaus.

Joint Projects

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) — I. Lyubinetsky, L. Saraf
Berkeley Molecular Foundry, Nanofabrication (LBNL) — S. Cabrini
Columbia University — N.Turro, B.White, S. O'Brien
NASA — G. Bozzolo (US), J.E. Garces (Argentina)
North Dakota State University (UND) — D. Muggli, M. Hoffmann
Erlangen-Nuernberg University (Germany)  — A. Ghicov, P. Schmuki
Teaching collaborations — D. Ulness (Concordia College, MN), W. Lin, R.V. Pieri (NDSU)