Our primary thrust is the study of chemisorption and catalytic reactions on atomically clean and chemically modified surfaces using the full complement of modern surface science techniques. The materials being investigated include metal single crystals, oxide thin films, and metal clusters supported on thin oxide films.

Of concern are issues that are keys to understanding the relationship between surface structure and catalytic activity/selectivity. Surface techniques being used include Auger (AES), ion scattering spectroscopy (ISS), UV and X-ray photoemission spectroscopy (UPS and XPS), temperature programmed desorption (TPD), high resolution electron energy loss spectroscopy (HREELS), fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (IRAS), low energy electron diffraction (LEED), and scanning probe microscopies (STM and AFM). Current research includes: (1) the synthesis, characterization and surface chemistry of single crystalline oxide thin films; and (2) the simulation of supported metal catalysts using metal clusters deposited onto metal oxide surfaces.

Other ongoing work involves the study of the fundamental chemistry of processes that occur at the solid-gas and solid-liquid interfaces relevant to electrocatalysis, corrosion and the synthesis of refractory thin films for microelectronic applications.

• The Role of F-Centers in Catalysis by Au Supported on MgO? Z. Yan, S. Chinta, A. A. Mohamed, J. P. Fackler, Jr., and D. W. Goodman, J. Amer. Chem. Soc., 127, 1604-1605 (2005)
• CO ? NO and CO ? O₂ Interactions on Cu(100) between 25 and 2005 K: Studied with Infrared Reflection Absorption Spectroscopy?, C. M. Kim, C.-W. Yi and D. W. Goodman, J. Phys. Chem. B. 109, 1891-1895 (2005)
• The Influence of Metal Cluster Size on Adsorption Energies: CO Adsorbed on Au Clusters Supported on TiO₂?, D. C. Meier and D. W. Goodman, J. Amer. Chem. Soc., 126, 1892-1899 (2004).
• The Nature of the Surface Species Formed on Au/TiO₂ during the Reaction of H₂ and O₂: An Inelastic Neutron Scattering Study?, C. Sivadinarayana, T. V. Choudhary, L. L. Daemen, J. Eckert and D. W. Goodman, J. Amer. Chem. Soc., 126, 38-39 (2004).
• "The Structure of Catalytically Active Au On Titania", M. S. Chen and D. W. Goodman, Science, 306, 252-255 (2004).

• ACS Somorjai Award
• ACS Adamson Award
• ACS Colloid and Surface Chemistry Award
• ACS Ipatieff Prize
• Giuseppe Parravano Award
• Yarwood Medal
• Humboldt Research Award
• Fulbright Distinguished Scholar

• Robert A. Welch Chair
  
• Distinguished Professor
• Co-director, Center for Catalysis and    Surface Chemistry
• Ph. D., University of Texas