An application of TOF-SIMS to the investigation of a Co/Al<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>3</Subscript> catalyst

Summary

An application of time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (TOF-SIMS) to the surface investigations of Co/Al<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>3</Subscript> catalyst is presented. The chemical composition of catalyst surface was determined. Moreover, the presence of interactions between metal oxide and support was confirmed. Owing to the calculation of CoO<Subscript>2</Subscript><Superscript>+</Superscript>/CoO<Superscript>+</Superscript>, CoO<Subscript>3</Subscript><Superscript>+</Superscript>, /CoO<Superscript>+</Superscript> and CoO<Subscript>3</Subscript><Superscript>+</Superscript>/CoO<Subscript>2</Subscript><Superscript>+</Superscript> intensity ratios the estimation of cobalt reduction degree was possible. A considerable part of this work was devoted to the investigations of metal distribution on the catalyst surface. TOF-SIMS surface images gave evidence of the cobalt dispersion improvement after sample reduction.