Molecular-beam study of hydrogen--deuterium exchange on low- and high-Miller-index platinum single-crystal surfaces

The hydrogen-deuterium exchange reaction takes place readily on a platinum single crystal with high Miller index (997), but not detectably on a platinum single crystal of low Miller index (111). The difference in reactivity is ascribed to the large density of atomic steps present on the high-index surface that are responsible for the dissociation of the diatomic molecules.