Reversed surface segregation in palladium-silver alloys due to hydrogen adsorption

It is well known that silver segregates to the surface of pure and ideal Pd–Ag alloy surfaces. By first-principles band-structure calculations it is shown in this paper how this may be changed when hydrogen is adsorbed on a Pd–Ag(1 1 1) surface. Due to hydrogen binding more strongly to palladium than to silver, there is a clear energy gain from a reversal of the surface segregation. Hydrogen-induced segregation may provide a fundamental explanation for the hydrogen or reducing treatments that are required to activate hydrogen-selective membrane or catalyst performance.