Chercheurs

Chimie / ERTL, GERHARD

ertl

Position

Former Director of the Department of Physical Chemistry, Fritz-Haber-Institut der Max-Planck-Gesellschaft, Berlin, Germany.

Thèmes de recherche

Research concentrates on the structure, dynamics and reactivity of surfaces in contact with gaseous or liquid phases, mainly single-crystal systems but also including clusters, colloids, thin layers as well as \'real\' catalysts.

It was thanks to processes developed in the semiconductor industry that the modern science of surface chemistry began to emerge in the 1960s. Gerhard Ertl was one of the first to see the potential of these new techniques. Step by step he has created a methodology for surface chemistry by demonstrating how different experimental procedures can be used to provide a complete picture of a surface reaction. This science requires advanced high-vacuum experimental equipment as the aim is to observe how individual layers of atoms and molecules behave on the extremely pure surface of a metal, for instance. It must therefore be possible to determine exactly which element is admitted to the system. Contamination could jeopardize all the measurements. Acquiring a complete picture of the reaction requires great precision and a combination of many different experimental techniques.

Gerhard Ertl has founded an experimental school of thought by showing how reliable results can be attained in this difficult area of research. His insights have provided the scientific basis of modern surface chemistry: his methodology is used in both academic research and the industrial development of chemical processes. The approach developed by Ertl is based not least on his studies of the Haber-Bosch process, in which nitrogen is extracted from the air for inclusion in artificial fertilizers. This reaction, which functions using an iron surface as its catalyst, has enormous economic significance because the availability of nitrogen for growing plants is often restricted. Ertl has also studied the oxidation of carbon monoxide on platinum, a reaction that takes place in the catalyst of cars to clean exhaust emissions.

Prix et récompenses

2011 :TUM Distinguished Affiliated Professor (Technische Universität München)
2011: Dr. honoris causa (University of Technology and Life Sciences, Bydgoszcz)
2010 : Barsanti & Matteucci Award (City of Pietrosanta)
2010 : Laurea honoris causa (Università di Pisa)
2009 : Bohlmann Lecture (Technische Universität Berlin)
2009 : Dr. honoris causa (Maria Curie-Sklodowska University, Lublin)
2009 : Dr. honoris causa (Comenius University, Bratislava)
2009 : Dr. honoris causa (Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin)
2008 : Diesel Gold Medal (Deutsches Institut für Erfindungswesen)
2008 : Nicolaus Copernicus Medal (Polish Academy of Sciences)
2008 : Großes Bundesverdienstkreuz mit Stern (President of the Federal Republic of Germany)
2008 : Dr. honoris causa (Technische Universität München)
2008 : Dr. honoris causa (Queen’s University Belfast)
2008 : Verdienstmedaille (Land Baden-Württemberg)
2007 : Nobel Prize in Chemistry (The Nobel Prize Foundation)
2007 : Gold Medal (Slovak Chemical Society)
2007 : Baker Lectureship (Cornell University, Ithaca (NY)
2007 : Faraday Lectureship (Royal Society of Chemistry)
2006 : Guptill Lecture (Dalhousie University, Halifax)
2005 : Angström Lecture (University of Uppsala)
2005 : Linus Pauling Lecture (California Institute of Technology)
2003 : Dr. honoris causa (University of Aarhus)
2003 : Dr. honoris causa (Chalmers University of Technology, Goeteborg)
2003 : Dr. honoris causa (University of Leuven)
2002 : FMC Lectureship (Princeton University)
2002 : Karl Ziegler Visiting Professor (Max Planck Institute Mulheim)
2002 : Spiers Memorial Medal and Lectureship (Royal Society of Chemistry)
2001 : G.F. Smith Lecture (University of Illinois, Urbana)
2001 : Kelly Lecture (Purdue University)
2001 : Schuit Lecture (Technical University of Eindhoven)
2001 : Pitzer Lecture (University of California, Berkeley)
2000 : Dr. honoris causa (University of Münster)
1999 : Roessler Lectureship (Cornell University)
1999 : Le Bel Lecture (Université de Strasbourg)
1999 : Debye Lecture (Universiteit Utrecht)
1998 : Wolf Prize in Chemistry (Wolf Foundation)
1998 : Karl Ziegler Prize (German Chemical Society)
1998 : Francois Gault Lectureship (European Catalysis Society)
1998 : M. Curie Lectureship (Polish Chemical Society)
1997 : Laird Lecture (University of British Columbia)
1997 : A.D. Little Lectureship (Massachusetts Institute of Technology)
1996 : Honorary Professor (Humboldt University Berlin)
1996 : Carl Engler Medal (German Scientific Society for Coal and Petroleum Research (DGMK))
1996 : Merck Lecture (Rutgers University)
1996 : Brdicka Lecture (Czech Academy of Sciences)
1995 : Medard W. Welch Award (American Vacuum Society)
1995 : Stauffer Lecture (University of Southern California)
1994 : Rolf Sammet Visiting Professor (University of Frankfurt)
1992 : Hewlett-Packard Europhysics Prize (European Physical Society)
1992 : Japan Prize (Science and Technology)Foundation of Japan
1992 : Bunsen Medal (German Bunsen Society for Physical Chemistry)
1992 : Dr. Honoris Causa (Ruhr-University of Bochum)
1992 : Großes Bundesverdienstkreuz (President of the Federal Republic of Germany)
1992 : Kolthoff Lectureship (University of Minnesota)
1992 : Kaufman Memorial Lecture (University of Pittsburgh)
1991 : Leibniz Prize (German Science Foundation)
1991 : Bourke Medal and Lectureship (Royal Society of Chemistry)
1990 : Alwin Mittasch Medal (German Federation of Chemical Engineers (DECHEMA))
1990 : Dow Lectureship (University of Western Ontario)
1990 : Coover Lecture (Iowa State University)
1989 : Frontiers in Chemical Research Lectureship (Texas A&M University)
1988 : William Draper Harkins Lecture (University of Chicago)
1988 : Barre Lecture (University of Montreal)
1987 : Liebig Medal (German Chemical Society)
1986 : Honorary Professor (Free University of Berlin)
1986 : Honorary Professor (Technical University of Berlin)
1986 : Langmuir Lecture (American Chemical Society)
1985 : C.F. Gauss Medal (Scientific Society of Braunschweig)
1985 : Centenary Medal and Lectureship (Royal Society of Chemistry)
1985 : C.G.A. Schuit Lecture (University of Delaware)
1984 : FECS Lecture (Federation of European Chemical Societies)
1984 : Industry Lecture (Norwegian Chemical Society)
1979 : Paul H. Emmett Award in Fundamental Catalysis (American Catalysis Society)
1979 : E.W. Müller Award (University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee)
1977 : Frank Ciapetta National Lectureship (American Catalysis Society)
1976 : Sherman Fairchild Distinguished Scholar (California Institute of Technology)

Publications

2013

G. Ertl:
Moleküle an Oberflächen: 100 Jahre Physikalische Chemie in Berlin-Dahlem.
Angew. Chem. 125, 52–61 (2013).
[Abstract; DOI: 10.1002/ange.201205401].
Molecules at Surfaces: 100 Years of Physical Chemistry in Berlin-Dahlem.
Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 52, 52–60 (2013).
[Abstract; DOI: 10.1002/anie.201205401].

A.S. Mikhailov and G. Ertl (eds.),
Engineering of Chemical Complexity,
World Scientific Lecture Notes in Complex Systems – Vol. 11.
World Scientific, New Jersey etc. (2013).
[ISBN: 978-981-4390-45-3 hardcover / 978-981-4390-46-0 ebook].

A.S. Mikhailov and G. Ertl:
Analysis, Design and Control of Complex Chemical Systems.
In: A.S. Mikhailov and G. Ertl (eds.), Engineering of Chemical Complexity,
World Scientific Lecture Notes in Complex Systems – Vol. 11.
World Scientific, New Jersey etc. (2013), pp. 3–23.
[Abstract; DOI: 10.1142/9789814390460_0001].

2012 - 2011

G. Ertl, H.-J. Lewerenz:
Obituary: Dieter M. Kolb (19426#150;2011).
ChemPhysChem 13, 2891 (2012).
[Abstract; DOI: 10.1002/cphc.201200109].

G. Ertl:
The Arduous Way to the Haber-Bosch Process.
Z. anorg. u. allg. Chem. 638, 371–381 (2012).
[Abstract; DOI: 10.1002/zaac.201190458].

2010

S. Hong, A. Karim, T.S. Rahman, K. Jacobi, G. Ertl:
Selective oxidation of ammonia on RuO2(1 1 0): A combined DFT and KMC study.
J. Catal. 276, 371–381 (2010).
[Abstract; DOI: 10.1016/j.jcat.2010.09.029].

G. Ertl:
Ammonia synthesis - Heterogeneous.
Published 5 March 2010, in:
Encyclopedia of Catalysis, Wiley Online Library.
[Online ISBN: 9780471227618;
Article Title; DOI: 10.1002/0471227617.eoc019].

2007

B. Pettinger, K.F. Domke, D. Zhang, R. Schuster, and G. Ertl:
Direct monitoring of plasmon resonances in a tip-surface gap of varying width.
Phys. Rev. B 76, 113409 (2007).

S. Hong, T.S. Rahman, K. Jacobi, and G. Ertl:
Interaction of NO with RuO2(110) surface: A First Principles Study.
J. Phys. Chem. C 111, 12361-12368 (2007).

J. Lee, J. Christoph, T.-G. Noh, M. Eiswirth, G. Ertl:
Edge effects in an electrochemical reaction: HCOOH oxidation on a Pt ribbon.
J. Chem. Phys. 126, 144702 (2007).

2006

K. Jacobi, Y. Wang and G. Ertl:
Reply to “Comment on ‘Interaction of hydrogen with RuO2(110) surfaces: Activity differences between various oxygen species’ ”.
J. Phys. Chem. B 110, 22948-22949 (2006).

C. Beta, A.S. Mikhailov, H.H. Rotermund and G. Ertl:
Defect-mediated turbulence in a catalytic surface reaction.
Europhys. Lett. 75, 868-874 (2006).

K. Jacobi, Y. Wang and G. Ertl:
Interaction of hydrogen with RuO2(110) surfaces: Activity differences between various oxygen species.
J. Phys. Chem. B 110, 6115-6122 (2006).

A.L.N. Pinheiro, M.S. Zei, M.F. Luo and G. Ertl:
The epitaxial growth of Pd electrodeposition on Au(100) studied by LEED and RHEED.
Surf. Sci. 600, 641-650 (2006).

A. Hornung, D. Zemlyanov, M. Muhler and G. Ertl:
The catalytic reduction of NO by H2 on Ru(0001): Observation of NHads species.
Surf. Sci. 600, 370-379 (2006).

J. Starke, J., C. Reichert, M. Eiswirth, H.H. Rotermund and G. Ertl:
Fluctuation-induced pattern formation in surface reaction.
Europhys. Lett. 73, 820-825 (2006).

2005

S.H. Kim, J. Méndez, J. Wintterlin and G. Ertl:
Enhanced reactivity of adsorbed oxygen on Pd(111) induced by compression of the oxygen layer.
Phys. Rev. B 72, 155414 (2005).

B. Pettinger, B. Ren, G. Picardi, R. Schuster, and G. Ertl:
Tip-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (TERS) of malachite green isothiocyanate at Au(111): bleaching behavior under the influence of high electromagnetic fields.
J. Raman Spectrosc. 36, 541-550 (2005).

U. Erlekam, U.A. Paulus, Y. Wang, H.P. Bonzel, K. Jacobi and G. Ertl:
Adsorption of methane and ethane on RuO2(110) surfaces.
Z. Phys. Chem. 219, 891-903(2005).

G. Ertl:
Activation of diatomic molecules at solid surfaces.
Phil. Trans. R. Soc. A 363, 955-958 (2005).

Blanco, J.M., C. González, P. Jelínek, J. Ortega, F. Flores, R. Pérez, M. Rose, M. Salmeron, J. Méndez, J. Wintterlin, and G. Ertl:
Origin of contrast in STM images of oxygen on Pd(111) and its dependence on tip structure and tunneling parameters.
Phys. Rev. B 71, 113402 (2005).

T. Lei, M.S. Zei, M.S., and G. Ertl:
Electrocatalytic oxidation of CO on Pt-modified Ru(0001) electrodes.
Surf. Sci. 581, 142-154 (2005).

Y. Wang, K. Jacobi, W.-D. Schöne, and G. Ertl:
Catalytic oxidation of ammonia on RuO2(110) surfaces: Mechanism and selectivity.
J. Phys. Chem. B 109, 7883-7893 (2005).

A.L.N. Pinheiro, M-S. Zei and G. Ertl:
Electro-oxidation of carbon monoxide and methanol on bare and Pt-modified Ru electrodes.
Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys. 7, 1300-1309 (2005).

J. Méndez, S.H. Kim, J. Cerdá, J. Wintterlin, and G. Ertl:
Coadsorption phases of CO and oxygen on Pd(111) studied by scanning tunneling microscopy.
Phys. Rev. B 71, 085409 (2005).

U.A. Paulus, Y. Wang, H.P. Bonzel, K. Jacobi and G. Ertl:
Adsorption and interaction of ethylene on RuO2(110)surfaces.
J. Phys. Chem. B 109, 2139-2148 (2005).
appeared in 2004, see there.

B. Ren, G. Picardi, B. Pettinger, R. Schuster and G. Ertl:
Spitzen-verstärkte Raman-Spektroskopie von Benzolthiol, adsorbiert an Au- und Pt-Einkristall-Oberflächen.
Angew. Chem. 117, 141-144 (2005).

Tip-enhanced Raman spectroscopy of benzenethiol adsorbed on Au and Pt single-crystal surfaces.
Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 44, 139-142 (2005).

G. Ertl (guest ed.).
Z. Phys. Chem. 219, issue 7 (2005),
Dedicated to Prof. Dr. Helmut Knözinger on the occasion of his 70th birthday.