Catalytic activity of a Ag thin film activated by surface acoustic waves generated on different ferroelectric substrates

Poled ferroelectric single crystals of 128° Y-cut X-propagation LiNbO3, 36° Y-cut X-propagation LiNbO3, and 41° Y-cutX-propagation LiTaO3 with different electromechanical coupling coefficients were employed as a catalyst substrate for Rayleigh and shear-horizontal leaky surface acoustic waves (SAWs). Application of the SAWs caused considerable increases in the catalytic activities for ethanol oxidation of 1.5–50 nm thin film Ag catalysts deposited on the SAW propagation path, and higher activation of the catalyst was brought about by ferroelectric crystals with a higher mechanical coupling coefficient.