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Abstract

In chemistry and physics the electronic charge on a species or material is one important determinant of its properties. In the present review the essential requirements for a model catalyst system suitable to study charge control are discussed. The ideal model catalyst for this purpose consists of a material system, which comprises a single crystal metal support, covered by an epitaxially grown ultrathin oxide film, and flat, two-dimensional nano-particles residing on this film. Several examples from the published literature are selected and presented, which illustrate various aspects of electron transport from the support to the nanoparticle and vice versa. Key experiments demonstrate charge control within such model catalysts and give direct evidence for a chemical reaction at the perimeter of Au nano-particles. The concepts derived from these studies are then taken a step further to see how they may be applied for bulk powder oxide supported nano-particles as they are frequently found in catalytically active materials.