DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jcat.2013.09.001

The catalytic oxidation of CO has been investigated on the stepped Pt(9 7 7) surface at near ambient pressure and elevated temperature. It has been found that the reactivity is maximum at approximately the stoichiometric proportion of reactants and that surface monoatomic steps are generated by the reaction itself, being most abundant when the reaction proceeds with maximum efficiency.