MAT E390 Lecture Notes - Lecture 3: Surface Energy, Chemisorption, Physisorption

• School: University of Alberta
• Department: Materials Engineering
• Course: MAT E390
• Professor: Hyun- Joong Chung

Document Summary

Surface relaxation and/or reconfiguration as a mean of reducing surface energy. Crystal structures, and symmetricity compared with bulk to reduce surface energy. Adsorption of molecules (atoms) on surface (removes (or conceals) dangling bonds) Surface relaxation/ reconstruction happen more often in vacuum. Generally, surfaces are "vulnerable" to attacks from external factors such as air, water, liquids, carbohydrate contaminants, ect Surface energy may be lowered by adsorption of molecules or atoms. If adsorbate species form an ordered structure, it is considered as "heterogeneous reconstructions"