CHE 598 Seminar: Microscopic and Spectroscopic Studies of Novel Model Catalysts on Surfaces

About the event

SPEAKER: Dr. Fang Xu, Assistant Professor, Department of Chemistry, The University of Texas at San Antonio

BIOGRAPHY:

Fang Xu is an Assistant Professor at the University of Texas at San Antonio. She received her Ph.D. from Brookhaven National Laboratory/Stony Brook University, where she studied dynamic surface transformations using ambient-pressure scanning tunneling microscopy, and completed postdoctoral training at Harvard University with Prof. Cynthia Friend on surface science. Dr. Xu’s current research focuses on atomic and electronic structures and chemistry at surfaces and interfaces, with emphasis on heterogeneous catalysis. Her work integrates surface science, instrumentation development, and catalytic testing to uncover atomic-level structure-activity relationships. The research has been funded by the NSF, DOE, and private and industry sponsors.

ABSTRACT:

Catalytic activity and selectivity in heterogeneous catalysis are governed by the atomic-scale physical and chemical properties of catalyst surfaces. Establishing direct correlations among surface structure, electronic properties, and chemical reactivity is therefore essential for developing a fundamental understanding of catalytic processes. While transition metals and metal oxides have long served as model systems for complex applied catalysts, emerging platforms such as two-dimensional materials and supported metal–organic complexes provide new opportunities to create well-defined local environments for investigating catalytic elementary steps. This seminar will highlight surface science studies of two novel model catalysts: two-dimensional copper boride and substituent-modified nickel porphyrin assemblies. By combining scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) under conditions ranging from ultrahigh vacuum (UHV) to ambient pressure (AP), these studies connect atomic and electronic structure with chemical property and catalytic function. The copper boride system reveals atomic structures and redox behavior, whereas the nickel porphyrin assemblies provide insight into electronic effects and CO2 activation. Together, these results demonstrate the ability to visualize surface and interfacial phenomena with atomic precision at room temperature and offer insights into designing two-dimensional materials and molecularly defined systems in heterogeneous catalysis.