This course is designed to give high-level understanding to the chemistry of solids, mainly metal and gas-solid interface structures. Thermodynamics and dynamics of the solid surface are discussed with a brief introduction to solid state dynamics. The main area of study is the absorption and deabsorption of gas molecules on metal surfaces and implications of these phenomena to the theory of catalytic behavior.
Topics include: principles of surface analysis methods such as Auger, XPS, LEED, SEXAFS, chemisorption on surfaces, and catalytic reactions on surfaces.