Promotor: M.T.M. Koper, Co-Promotor: L.B.F. Juurlink

Promotor: J.W.M. Frenken Co-Promotor: R. Felici

Heterogeneous catalysis is essential to many industrial applications. These catalysts are often comprised of supported nanoparticles, which contain various different surface sites.

Promotor: Prof.dr. M.T.M. Koper, Co-Promotor: F. Calle-Vallejo

The research presented in this thesis makes use of small molecules (as H2 , D2 and O2 ) on well-defined single crystal surfaces (flat Pt(111), flat Cu(211) and curved Pt(111)) to elucidate the role of surface structure and degrees of freedom in the reactant in specific surface reactions.

Curved single crystals provide variable, but well-defined surface structures.

The work in this thesis demonstrates how to obtain an atomic-scale picture of a diverse set of complex surface structures observed using STM, under disparate conditions.

Despite the history of studies on methanol formation from CO2, the dominant elementary reaction steps that constitute the chemical mechanism for this catalyzed process are not determined.

Promotor: J.W.M. Frenken Co-Promotores: I.M.N. Groot; L.B.F. Juurlink

Promotor: M.T.M. Koper, Co-promotor: J.B.F. Juurlink

Hydrogen fuel cells are expected to be pivotal in the energetic transition towards renewable energy sources such as solar and wind power. However, their industrial scalability is severely hindered by the high cost and degradation rate of platinum catalysts, one of their key components. Addressing this…

Promotor: M.T.M. Koper, Co-Promotor: L.B.F. Juurlink

In this thesis, we study different curved single crystals because of the diversity of surface structures across their curvature.

The adsorption of D2 and CO2 on catalyst surfaces is studied using a molecular beam in ultra-high vacuum.

Promotor: Prof.dr. J.W.M. Frenken

Fundamental understanding of molecular reactions on metal surfaces is important for improving heterogeneous catalysis.

Promotores: P. Stevenhagen, L. van Geemen Co-promotor: R.M. van Luijk

Promotor: M.T.M. Koper, Co-promotors: A.I. Yanson, L.B.F. Juurlink

This thesis has shed light on some of the ways in which the local electrolyte composition can differ from the bulk and how these changes in the local reaction environment can determine the activity and/or selectivity of two important electrocatalytic reactions, namely, electrochemical CO2 reduction…

Promotor: Prof.dr. G.J. Kroes

Heterogeneous catalyzed processes are highly significant to the chemical industry. Dissociative chemisorption (DC) of molecules on surfaces is always considered as a step with a high degree of rate control for heterogeneous catalysis.

Promotor: G. J. Kroes

Dissociative chemisorption is an important reaction step in many catalytic reactions.

In most applications, electrocatalysts exhibit a large surface area to volume ratio, for example using nanoparticles.

Promotores: P. Stevenhagen, L. van Geemen (Università degli studi di Milano), Co-Supervisor: Ronald M. van Luijk

In this thesis integral points on affine del Pezzo surfaces are studied.

Tin electrodeposition applications have rapidly evolved in the past 25 years.

Promotor: Peter Stevenhagen

Promotor: P. Stevenhagen, Co-promotor: R.M. van Luijk

This thesis contains results on the arithmetic and geometry of del Pezzo surfaces of degree 1.In Chapter 1 we give the necessary background, assuming the reader is familiar with algebraic geometry.

Several techniques are explored for going beyond the born-oppenheimer static surface model for molecule-surface reactions.

This PhD thesis concerns the topic of arithmetic geometry. We address three different questions and each of the questions in some way is about counting how big some set is or can be.

In this thesis, rational points on K3 surfaces are studied. In the first part of Chapter 1 the Brauer group and the the Brauer-Manin obstruction are introduced.

In the search for sustainable energy solutions, the idea of artificial photosynthesis has been proposed as an approach with which to use water and sunlight to produce hydrogen.

This thesis focuses on the synthesis, characterization and performance towards CO2 electroreduction of mono and bi-metallic particles based on p-block metals

In this dissertation iron-based homogeneous catalysts were synthesized, characterized and investigated for water oxidation activity.

In this thesis, we consider various (electro)chemical phenomena at surfaces and nanoparticles and their underlying atomistic processes, which we studied using first-principles methods such as density functional theory.

In surface science there is great effort to move from studying simple, flat model surfaces in vacuum to investigating more complex model catalysts in gas environments (in situ). This thesis gives three examples of such studies using microscopy and spectroscopy.

The focus throughout this thesis will be on gathering fundamental studies of the detailed structure and composition of the electrode/electrolyte interface effect on the rate and mechanism of key electrocatalytic reactions.

This thesis investigates reactive interfaces in surface science across three domains: heterogeneous catalysis, environmental nanoplastics, and two-dimensional materials.

Catalysis is of extreme relevance in the production of everyday materials and plays a central role in many aspects of our life.

Heterogeneous catalysis is one of the fundamental processes of modern life, being common in industrial refinery and hydrogen vehicles, all the way to the living cell. The dissociation of H2 on Cu(111) is an important benchmark system for studying heterogeneous catalysis, with a large and varied amount…

Surface plasmons (SPs) are surface waves at the interface between a dielectric and a good metal, and are formed by the interaction between light and the free electrons at the metal-dielectric interface. They provide strong field confinement for optical fields, opening new possibilities for enhanced…

Advanced sensing techniques require graphene with high quality and well-controlled surface chemistry.

Molecular complexes can be used as electrocatalysts for oxygen reduction, water oxidation, and/or hydrogen peroxide production.

Promotor: Prof.dr. H.V.J. Linnartz

Cathodic corrosion is a relatively unknown phenomenon that can severely etch metallic electrodes at cathodic (negative) potentials.

Promotor: Prof.dr. E. Bouwman, Co-promotor: S. Bonnet

Before the large scale use of renewable energy sources can be implemented in our society, the storage of electrical energy needs to be tackled. Storage the energy as hydrogen via the reduction of protons is a good option.

This thesis advance our understanding and the application of molecular catalysts relevant to the reduction of oxygen as well as reduction of nitrite.