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This Year's Nobel Prize in Chemistry Has Highlighted the Importance Of Nobel prize AP PHOTOS AP The surface detective This year’s Nobel prize in chemistry has highlighted the importance of surface chemistry in modern life. Richard Van Noorden catches up with the winner, Gerhard Ertl 46 | Chemistry World | November 2007 www.chemistryworld.org CW.11.07.NOBEL.indd 46 18/10/2007 15:20:17 ‘This is the best birthday present you Langmuir, who could lay claim to be before meeting hydrogen. He also In short can give to somebody,’ a delighted the grandfather of modern surface explained why potassium (and other Gerhard Ertl told the Swedish chemistry, took the Nobel for his 2007 Nobel prize alkali metals) should promote the Academy of Sciences on learning he seminal studies into reactions at air- for chemistry goes to reaction, showing that the distorted had won the 2007 Nobel prize for water and air-solid interfaces. Gerhard Ertl, for his electron density between potassium chemistry on his 71st birthday. ‘As a young boy I was interested studies of chemical and iron encourages neighbouring After dabbling close to the shores in chemistry and physics, but only processes on solid nitrogen molecules to break apart. of biology last year, the Nobel learned of the heroes of surface surfaces In doing so, he proved that clean, committee returned to physical chemistry later on,’ Ertl told Ertl has investigated high-vacuum studies were relevant chemistry for this year’s award. Ertl Chemistry World. Son of a miller the Haber-Bosch to the commercial industrial process took the 10 million kroner (£755 000) and a tailor, he studied physics in process, and the reaction – a reality that some chemists were prize for his detailed studies into Stuttgart, Paris and Munich before of carbon monoxide on struggling to believe. how chemical reactions take place securing as his mentor the physical platinum A similarly memorable and on solid surfaces. Ertl, one of the chemist Heinz Gerischer. He would The next big challenge thorough analysis began in the fathers of modern surface chemistry, later succeed Gerischer as director of for surface chemistry 1980s, when Ertl tackled the more combines a gentle character with the department of physical chemistry will be in addressing complicated oxidation of carbon a deep understanding of science at Berlin’s Fritz Haber institute, part more real-world monoxide on platinum (the reaction – qualities that have garnered of the Max Planck society. situations, at ambient that is the basis of a car’s catalytic him international respect and In a 2002 lecture, Ertl approvingly pressures converter). The reactions here were widespread friendship. quotes Gerischer’s 1973 description more complicated, and Ertl showed Ertl’s prize-winning research was of the mysteries surrounding what that carbon monoxide and oxygen concerned with one fundamental happens at the surface of electrodes. molecules writhed in oscillatory question: what exactly goes on It could also summarise the waves over the platinum surface when molecules from the gas phase attitude of many chemists hoping to during the reaction, as surfaces hit a solid surface and react? The understand molecules reacting at reconstructed and incoming inquiry is not, perhaps, glamorous or surfaces: ‘It is like a detective story. molecules changed the balance of immediately startling, but pervades The kineticist knows the actors, electron density. a huge number of natural and present at the beginning, and he artificial chemical reactions. The sees the victims. He has to search for Winning technique ammonia-forming Haber process witnesses to reconstruct the course Ertl’s elegant experiments relied for making fertiliser; the exhaust- of events.’ strongly on combining the right cleaning catalytic converter in cars; methods for studying molecular the electronics industry’s production Molecules in court behaviour, and he was quick to of semiconductor materials by In the 1960s, the interrogators for pick up on whatever was available. chemical vapour deposition; the these witnesses were just appearing, Gerischer supplied him with the first breakdown of ozone on ice crystals in in the form of new methods for commercial low-energy electron the atmosphere; these and thousands studying molecules on surfaces. diffraction (LEED) microscope of other reactions have surface Thanks partly to the growth in Germany; while in the 1980s he chemistry at their core. of semiconductor technology, was one of the first to recognise the ‘Ertl really pioneered the ability chemists were able to prepare potential of the scanning tunnelling to discover what was happening pristine crystal surfaces in almost microscope, perfected by 1986 at surfaces on an atomic scale complete vacuum. Ultraviolet and physics Nobel prize winners Gerd – essentially, the physics behind why x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Binnig and Heinrich Rohrer. industrial processes happen,’ says which involve firing radiation ‘Progress either needs new ideas Charles Campbell, a surface chemist at molecules and measuring the (which are rare) or new techniques. at the University of Washington, characteristic energies of the ejected We had the techniques,’ he says Seattle, US. Ertl’s rigorous cross- electrons, were beginning to build modestly. But, as compatriot Ferdi examining of molecules at surfaces up characteristic signatures of Schüth, now at the Max Planck set a benchmark for all other studies molecules injected onto a surface. Institute of Coal Research, Mulheim, in the field: he showed it was possible Ertl took full advantage of the new points out, ‘If Ertl needs a technique to understand, and even to control, tools, first studying how hydrogen and there isn’t one available, then catalytic reactions. atoms were organised on metals like he invents it.’ Schüth highlights the palladium, platinum and nickel. In development of dynamic LEED Early activation the mid-1970s he moved on to look – monitoring how diffraction spots Long before Ertl was born in 1936 at the Haber-Bosch process, where move as a surface chemical reaction in Stuttgart, chemists understood nitrogen reacts with hydrogen to proceeds – while Ertl is proud of his the importance of solid surfaces form ammonia. This industrial adoption of photoemission electron to catalyse reactions. In 1912, Paul reaction now helps to make over 100 microscopy (PEEM) and tip- Sabatier was awarded the Nobel million tons of fertiliser a year. The enhanced Raman spectroscopy. prize for his hydrogenation of commonly used catalyst consisted of ‘Ertl really Throughout this interplay of organic compounds ‘in the presence a witch’s brew of iron particles, with technology and fundamental science, of finely disintegrated metals, added potassium hydroxide, on a pioneered Ertl displayed ‘a unique ability to whereby the progress of organic support of alumina and silica, under the ability to distil out of a complex problem the chemistry has been greatly advanced pressure. essential simple questions,’ as his in recent years’. Fritz Haber’s How nitrogen and hydrogen were discover what Fritz Haber Institute colleague Hans discovery of ammonia synthesis behaving on the surface was unclear. was happening Freund puts it. Ertl’s methodology from nitrogen and hydrogen, using Ertl showed that nitrogen’s strong – showing how to use a formidable an iron catalyst, won him the 1918 triple bond cleaved on an iron surface at surfaces on set of tools to be certain of an answer Nobel prize. And in 1932, Irving so that the molecule split into atoms an atomic scale’ – has influenced many surface www.chemistryworld.org Chemistry World | November 2007 | 47 CW.11.07.NOBEL.indd 47 19/10/2007 16:42:44 Nobel prize with the aid of basic surface science research, many catalysts are best optimised by industry alone. The basic science often rationalises why a particular catalyst works so well, but can’t always make sufficiently useful predictions for improvement. FRITZ HABER INSTITUTE, GERMANY INSTITUTE, HABER FRITZ Somorjai disagrees with this view, saying that once the original catalyst is found by trial and error, later permutations and refinements depend strongly on basic surface science research. This is increasingly true as fundamental research is taking place under conditions closer to the real world. As Somorjai puts it, ‘Real life is not an ultra-high vacuum system.’ So plenty of work is being done investigating how molecules behave on surfaces at ambient pressures – using the same techniques, such as x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, that had to be restricted to low pressure in the 1960s and 70s, but have now benefited from improved instrument design. It’s also clear that, unsurprisingly, the surface of a real catalyst is dirtier scientists. He has ‘an uncanny insight prestigious Wolf prize in Chemistry Spiral waves of carbon and more confusing than a perfect into the central issues at work in in 1998, while Somorjai has recently monoxide occupation crystal. Molecules diffuse in and surface chemistry,’ according to been awarded the 2008 Priestley on a platinum out, rather than gliding over the John Yates, a surface chemist at the Medal by the American Chemical surface, captured by surface top; metal bonds restructure; University of Virginia, US. Society (ACS). Francisco Zaera, at photoelectron emission nano-sized lumps of catalyst can Ertl is also a renowned teacher, University of California, Riverside, microscopy (3D, false have catalytic activity greater than and has left a legacy of scientists has commented of the Priestley colour) their surface area would suggest; well-trained in surface chemistry.
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