Fundamental and technological aspects of the surface properties and reactivity of some metal oxides

Abstract As is usually accepted for many inorganic compounds, the surface properties often play a fundamental role in the overall properties of metal oxides, in particular when the oxide materials are used in the form of fine grains. One difficulty in characterizing these surface properties is to apply the results of studies performed on ideal surfaces to the actual materials in use. A way to accept this challenge can be to successively consider initial powders, polycrystalline pellets formed after thermal or mechanical treatment of these powders and, finally, monocrystalline surfaces prepared from these powders or pellets. This principle can be applied to the study of the surface propertie…