Abstract

The activation pathway of CO electro-oxidation at low potentials is frequently favored on a catalyst with surface defects. Here, we report a discovery in which an initial long-range substrate structure is required for the activation of an unusual CO pre-oxidation reaction pathway on Pt(111) surfaces which have been flame annealed and then cooled in a CO atmosphere. Different to current understanding about the oxidation of CO on Pt, the activation of this reaction pathway is inhibited as the (111) planes become defect-rich.