Spillover of reactants from one active site to another is important in heterogeneous catalysis but is notoriously hard to detect or control, especially for hydrogen. The hydrogen spillover pathway on a Pd–Cu alloy can now be controlled by reversible adsorption of a spectator molecule. This effect observed during a surface catalysed reaction should prove useful for controlling uptake and release of hydrogen in a model storage system.
- Matthew D. Marcinkowski
- April D. Jewell
- E. Charles H. Sykes