Catalytic reaction energetics by single crystal adsorption calorimetry: hydrocarbons on Pt(111)

Single crystal adsorption calorimetry provides essential information about the energetics of surface reactions on well-defined surfaces where the adsorbed reaction products can be clearly identified. In this tutorial review, we cover the essentials of that technique, with emphasis on our lab's recent advances in sensitivity and temperature range, and demonstrate what can be achieved through a review of selected example studies concerning adsorption and dehydrogenation of hydrocarbons on Pt(111). A fairly complete reaction enthalpy diagram is presented for the dehydrogenation of cyclohexane to benzene on Pt(111).