The chemisorption of N2 on the (110) surface of iridium

The molecular chemisorption of N₂ on the reconstructed Ir(110)-(1 × 2) surface has been studied with thermal desorption mass spectrometry, XPS, UPS, AES, LEED and the co-adsorption of N₂ with hydrogen. Photoelectron spectroscopy shows molecular levels of N₂ at 8.0 (5σ + 1π) and 11.8 (4σ) eV in the valence band and at 399.2 eV with a satellite at 404.2 eV in the N(1s) region, where the binding energies are referenced to the Ir Fermi level. The kinetics of adsorption and desorption show that both precursor kinetics and interadsorbate interactions are important for this chemisorption system. Adsorption occurs with a constant probability of adsorption of unity up to saturation coverage (4.8 × 10¹⁴ cm^?2), and the thermal desorption spectra give rise to two peaks. The activation energy for desorption varies between 8.5 and 6.0 kcal mole^?1 at low and high coverages, respectively. Results of the co-adsorption of N₂ and hydrogen indicate that adsorbed N₂ resides in the missing-row troughs on the reconstructed surface. Nitrogen is displaced by hydrogen, and the most tightly bound state of hydrogen blocks virtually all N₂ adsorption. A p1g1(2 × 2) LEED pattern is associated with a saturated overlayer of adsorbed N₂ on Ir(110)-(1 × 2).