New trends in heterogeneous catalysis processes on metallic clusters from synchrotron radiation and theoretical studies

New advances in theoretical background as well as recent experimental results associated to nanometer scale monometallic clusters are presented. Regarding the calculation of their electronic structure, the significant physical parameters, which control the relaxation of the intermetallic distances are introduced. From an experimental point of view, the limitations and advantages of a study based on an Extended X-ray Absorption Fine Structure (Exafs)-Anomalous Wide Angle X-ray Scattering (Awaxs) approach are discussed. Finally, through a review of recent papers, we try to make a link between metallic surfaces and nanometer scale monometallic clusters in the case of the interaction with a small molecule namely nitric oxide (NO). This parallel could be used to classify and thus predict the behaviour of the nanometer scale monometallic particles during adsorption of this molecule. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.