Oscillatory thermomechanical instability of an ultrathin catalyst.
Because of the small thermal capacity of ultrathin ( approximately 200 nanometers) metal single crystals, it is possible to explore the coupling of catalytic and thermal action at low pressures. We analyzed a chemothermomechanical instability in this regime, in which catalytic reaction kinetics interact with heat transfer and mechanical buckling to create oscillations. These interacting components are separated and explored through experimentation, mathematical modeling, and scientific computation, and an explanation of the phenomenon emerges from their synthesis.
Cirak
Fehmi
F
Division of Engineering and Applied Science, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA.
Cisternas
Jaime E
JE
Cuitiño
Alberto M
AM
Ertl
Gerhard
G
Holmes
Philip
P
Kevrekidis
Ioannis G
IG
Ortiz
Michael
M
Rotermund
Harm Hinrich
HH
Schunack
Michael
M
Wolff
Janpeter
J