Colóquio 01/09/2023: Models for Reactions in Confined Space: Can Surface Science Contribute?

In this talk we will report and discuss some recent advances in surface science research on a silica film supported on a Ru(0001) substrate. This system is unique, as the silica is bound to the metal surface by dispersive forces only, and thus opens the possibility to study reactions in the confined space between the metal substrate and the silica film, acting as a permeable membrane. We will show that this system allows for detailed insights into the complexity of reactions in confined space, including phenomena due to the response of the confined space to the presence of the reactants, and direct comparison to the situation when the same reaction occurs in open space.