Structural stability and kinetics of small carbon clusters on a bimetallic Cu/Ni(111) surface: A first-principles study

► Energetics and kinetics of small carbon clusters on a bimetallic Cu/Ni(111) surface ► Linear chains are found to be more favorable than rings ► Adsorption strength on Cu/Ni(111) is stronger than that on either Ni(111) or Cu(111) ► Linear carbon chains on Cu/Ni(111) can diffuse even faster than the adatom ► Mobility on Cu/Ni(111) is higher than that of the same structure on Ni(111)