Surface chemistry is an essential and developing area of physical chemistry and one that has become increasingly multidisciplinary. This book offers a comprehensive, modern introduction to the subject, taking a truly pedagogical approach. This text will provide the reader with a well-rounded understanding, not only of how chemistry works at surfaces, but also how to understand and probe the dynamics of surface reactions.

Opening with an examination of the importance of heterogeneous reactions, Surface Science: Foundations of Catalysis and Nanoscience lays the foundations for an understanding of chemical reactions at surfaces through a detailed treatment of surface electronic and geometric structure. Reactivity on and with surfaces is clearly explained. Fundamental principles such as adsorption, desorption and reactions between adsorbates are examined, with extensive coverage of developments in the growth of epitaxial and Langmuir-Blodgett films, as well as treatment of the etching of surfaces.

From the Introduction: “...Surface science had always been about nanoscale science, even though it was never phrased that way. Catalysis has been the traditional realm of surface chemistry. With the advent of nanotechnology, it became apparent that the control of matter on the molecular scale at surfaces was of much wider relevance. This book is an attempt, from the point of view of a dynamicist, to approach surface science as the underpinning science of both heterogeneous catalysis and nanotechnology...”

Target Audience: Chemistry, physics, chemical engineering and materials science students taking courses in surface chemistry, as well as researchers and professionals needing an up-to-date review of the subject.

Table of Contents:

Introduction

Surface Structure

Experimental Probes of Surface and Adsorbate Structure

Chemisorption, Physisorption and Dynamics

Thermodynamics and Kinetics of Surface Processes

Complex Surface Reactions: Catalysis and Etching

Growth and Epitaxy

Appendices

Index