Author: Daniel Arribas Mercado, ICMM-CSIC (read here an interview)
Supervisors: Pablo Merino and José Ángel Martín Gago
When: October, 21 - 11AM
Where: Salón de Actos, ICMM
Abstract: Carbon and hydrogen present a remarkably versatile chemistry. In this thesis we explore its fundamentals by atomic-scale imaging and spectroscopic techniques. We use n-octane (n-C8H18) as a model hydrocarbon to study the thermal dehydrogenation, aromatisation, and intermolecular bonding of these molecules on Pt(111). We identify the subsequent intramolecular dehydrogenation reactions of n-octane on Pt(111) and observe the homo-coupling mechanism between molecule leading to the synhesis of polycyclic molecules and graphene patches. Additionally, we investigate the deposition of hydrogen atoms on the moiré patterns of epitaxial graphene monolayers grown on Pt(111). We find that moiré corrugation increases the hydrogen adsorption efficiency and its stability.
