Intrinsically biased electrocapacitive catalysis

D. P. Sheehan, T. Seideman

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

10 Scopus citations

Abstract

We propose the application of the contact potential from metal-metal junctions or the built-in potential of semiconductor p-n junctions to induce or catalyze chemical reactions. Free of external sources, this intrinsic potential across microscale and nanoscale vacuum gaps establishes electric fields in excess of 107 Vm. The electrostatic potential energy of these fields can be converted into useful chemical energy. As an example, we focus on the production of superthermal gas ions to drive reactions. Analysis indicates that this intrinsically biased electrocapacitive catalysis can achieve locally directed ion energies up to a few electron volts and local gas temperature boosts in excess of 104 K. Practical considerations for implementation and experimental tests are considered.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Article number204713
JournalJournal of Chemical Physics
Volume122
Issue number20
DOIs
StatePublished - May 22 2005

Funding

It is a pleasure to thank E. K. Perttu, J. H. Wright, and K. Adkins for their assistance in preparing figures for this paper. T.S. is grateful to the NSF (Grant No. CHEM/MRD-0313638) for support of this project. D.P.S. acknowledges the kind support of the Research Corporation and a USD Faculty Research Grant. Finally, both authors warmly thank V. Špička for the stimulating atmosphere at Frontiers of Quantum and Mesoscopic Thermodynamics-04 (Prague, 2004), which led to the ideas presented in this paper.

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General Physics and Astronomy
  • Physical and Theoretical Chemistry

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