Adsorption studies on a stepped Pt(111) surface: O2, CO,C2H4, C2N2

A comparative study of the adsorption of several gases on a Pt(S)-[9(111) × (111)] surface was performed using LEED, Auger spectroscopy, flash desorption mass spectrometry and work function changes as surface sensitive techniques. Adsorption was found to be generally less ordered on the stepped surface than on the corresponding flat surface with the exception of the oxygen, where r well ordered overlayer in registry over many terraces was found. Absolute coverages were determined from flash desorption experiments for O₂, CO and C₂N₂. Similar values were obtained as on flat Pt surfaces. Two different surface species seem to be formed upon adsorption of C₂H₄ depending on the adsorption temperature. Contrary to reports from Pt(111) surfaces conversion between the two surface species is heavily restricted on the stepped surface. Work function changes revealed nonlinear adsorbate effects where the adsorbate is electronegative with respect to the substrate. Various adsorption models are discussed in the light of complementary experimental evidence. The results of this study are compared with data available from flat Pt surfaces and possible influences of steps are discussed. No general trends, however, emerge from this comparison and it seems that eventual influences of steps have to be considered individually for every adsorbate.     

LEED,AES and thermal desorption studies of chemisorbed Hydrogen and hydrocarbons (C2H2, C2H4, C6H6, C6H12) on the (111) and stepped [6(111) × (100)] iridium crystal surfaces; comparison with platinum

The adsorption of hydrogen, ethylene, acetylene, cyclohexane and benzene was studied on both the (111) and stepped [6(111) × (100)] crystal surfaces of iridium. The techniques used were low energy electron diffraction, Auger electron spectroscopy, and thermal desorption mass spectrometry. At 30°C, acetylene, ethylene and benzene are adsorbed with a sticking probability near unity. The sticking probability of cyclohexane is less than 0.1 on both surfaces. Heating the (111) surface above 800°C, in the presence of the hydrocarbons, results in the formation of an ordered carbonaceous overlayer with a diffraction pattern corresponding to a (9 × 9) surface structure. No indication for ordering of the carbonaceous residue was found on the stepped iridium surface in these experimental conditions. The hydrocarbon molecules form only poorly ordered surface structures on both iridium surfaces when the adsorption is carried out at 30°C. Benzene is the only gas that can be desorbed from the surfaces in large amounts by heating. Ethylene remains largely on the surface, only a few percent is removed by heating while acetylene and cyclohexane cannot be desorbed at all. When adsorption is carried out at 30°C and the crystal is subsequently flashed to high temperature, hydrogen is liberated from the surface. The hydrogen desorption spectra from the iridium surfaces exposed to C₂H₄, C₂H₂, or C₆H₆ exhibit two hydrogen desorption peaks, one around 200°C and the second around 350°C. The temperatures where these peaks appear vary slightly with the type of hydrocarbon. The relative intensities of these two peaks depend strongly on the surface used. Arguments are presented that decomposition of the hydrocarbon molecules (C-H bond breaking nd possibly also C-C bond breaking) occurs easier on the stepped iridium surface than on the (111) surface. Hydrogen is desorbed at a higher temperature from an iridium surface possessing a high density of surface imperfections than from a perfect iridium (111) surface. The results are compared with those obtained previously on similar crystal surfaces of platinum. It appears that C-H bond breaking occurs more easily on iridium than on platinum.     

Low-energy electron diffraction,Auger electron spectroscopy,and thermal desorption studies of chemisorbed CO and O2 on the (111) and stepped [6(111) × (100)] iridium surfaces

The adsorption of CO, O₂, and H₂O was studied on both the (111) and [6(111) × (100)] crystal faces of iridium. The techniques used were LEED, AES, and thermal desorption. Marked differences were found in surface structures and heats of adsorption on these crystal faces. Oxygen is adsorbed in a single bonding state on the (111) face. On the stepped iridium surface an additional bonding state with a higher heat of adsorption was detected which can be attributed to oxygen adsorbed at steps. On both (111) and stepped iridium crystal faces the adsorption of oxygen at room temperature produced a (2 × 1) surface structure. Two surface structures were found for CO adsorbed on Ir(111); a (√3 × √3)R30° at an exposure of 1.5–2.5 L and a (2√3 × 2√3)R30° at higher coverage. No indication for ordering of adsorbed CO was found on the Ir(S)-[6(111) × (100)] surface. No significant differences in thermal desorption spectra of CO were found on these two faces. H₂O is not adsorbed at 300 K on either iridium crystal face. The reaction of CO with O₂ was studied on Ir(111) and the results are discussed. The influence of steps on the adsorption behaviour of CO and O₂ on iridium and the correlation with the results found previously on the same platinum crystal faces are discussed.     

LEED and thermal desorption studies of small molecules (H2, O2, CO,CO2, NO,C2H4, C2H2 and C) chemisorbed on the stepped rhodium (755) and (331) surfaces

The chemisorption of H₂, O₂, CO, CO₂, NO, C₂H₂, C₂H₄ and C has been studied on the clean stepped Rh(755) and (331) surfaces. Low energy electron diffraction (LEED), Auger electron spectroscopy (AES) and thermal desorption spectroscopy (TDS) were used to determine the size and orientation of the unit cells, desorption temperatures and decomposition characteristics for each adsorbate. All of the molecules studied readily chemisorbed on both stepped surfaces and several ordered surface structures were observed. The LEED patterns seen on the (755) surface were due to the formation of surface structures on the (111) terraces, while on the (331) surface the step periodicity played an important role in the determination of the unit cells of the observed structures. When heated in O₂ or C₂H₄ the (331) surface was more stable than the (755) surface which readily formed (111) and (100) facets. In the CO and CO₂ TDS spectra a peak due to dissociated CO was observed on both surfaces. NO adsorption was dissociative at low exposures and associative at high exposures. C₂H₄ and C₂H₂ had similar adsorption and desorption properties and it is likely that the same adsorbed species was formed by both molecules.     

Adsorption of carbon monoxide,oxygen, hydrogen,nitrogen, ethylene and benzene on an iridium (110) surface; Correlation with other iridium crystal faces

The interaction of CO, O₂, H₂, N₂, C₂H₄ and C₆H₆ with an Ir(110) surface has been studied using LEED, Auger electron spectroscopy and flash desorption mass spectroscopy. Adsorption of oxygen at 30°C produces a (1× 2) structure, while a c(2 × 2) structure is formed at 400°C. Two peaks have been detected in the thermal desorption spectrum of oxygen following adsorption at 30°C. The heat of adsorption of hydrogen is slightly higher on Ir(110) than on Ir(111). Adsorption of carbon monoxide at 30°C produces a (2 × 1) surface structure. The main CO desorption peak is found around 230, while two other desorption peaks are observed around 340 and 160°C. At exposures between 250 and 500°C carbon monoxide adsorption yields a c(2 × 2) structure and a desorption peak around 600°C. Carbon monoxide is adsorbed on an Ir(110) surface partly covered with oxygen or carbon in a new binding state with a significantly higher desorption temperature than on the clean surface. Adsorption of nitrogen could not be detected on either clean or on carbon covered Ir(110) surfaces. The hydrocarbon molecules do not form ordered surface structures on Ir(110). The thermal desorption spectra obtained after adsorption of C₆H₆ or C₂H₄ are similar to those reported previously for Ir(111) consisting mostly of hydrogen. Heating the (110) surface above 700°C in the presence of C₆H₆ or C₂H₄ results in the formation of an ordered carbonaceous overlayer with (1 × 1) structure. The results are compared with those obtained previously on the Ir(111) and Ir(755) or stepped [6(111) × (100)] surfaces. The CO adsorption results are discussed in relation to data on similar surfaces of other Group VIII metals.     

Flash desorption and equilibration of H2 and D2 on single crystal surfaces of platinum

The adsorption and flash desorption of hydrogen and the equilibration of H₂ and D₂ has been studied on the (110), (211), (111) and (100) planes of platinum. Desorption from Pt (211), a stepped surface composed of (111) and (100) ledges, yields a desorption spectrum which apparently is a composite of desorption from the individual ledges. Pt (110) is quite similar to the tungsten structural analog, W (211), in that both yield two-peak desorption spectra, and on both planes adsorption kinetics are dramatically different for filling of the two states. On all four planes adsorption kinetics are apparently proportional to (1 ? θ)², and estimates of the initial sticking probabilities show them to decrease in the order: (110) > (211) > (100) > (111). Equilibration activity follows approximately the same order [(110) > (211) > (111) > (100)] with a factor of ~ 5 difference between the most and least active planes; no extraordinary activity is observed for the stepped surface, Pt(211). Below ~ 570 K equilibration of H₂ and D₂ is activated by less than 2 kcal/mole with the magnitude dependent on the specific face, and above this temperature the reaction is nonactivated. The non-activated case apparently results from absorption followed by statistical mixing on the surface. Calculated rates for HD production per cm² based on this model are in excellent agreement with the experimental values for Pt(110) and Pt(211), and in somewhat poorer agreement in the case of Pt (111) and Pt (100). This latter is probably due to the greater inaccuracy in the values of the sticking coefficients on these planes.     

Adsorption of H2O on Al(111)

The adsorption of H₂O on Al(111) has been studied by ESDIAD (electron stimulated desorption ion angular distributions), LEED (low energy electron diffraction), AES (Auger electron spectroscopy) and thermal desorption in the temperature range 80–700 K. At 80 K, H₂O is adsorbed predominantly in molecular form, and the ESDIAD patterns indicate that bonding occurs through the O atom, with the molecular axis tilted away from the surface normal. Some of the H₂O adsorbed at 80 K on clean Al(111) can be desorbed in molecular form, but a considerable fraction dissociates upon heating into OH_ads and hydrogen, which leaves the surface as H₂. Following adsorption of H₂O onto oxygen-precovered Al(111), additional OH_ads is formed upon heating (perhaps via a hydrogen abstraction reaction), and H₂ desorbs at temperatures considerably higher than that seen for H₂O on clean Al(111). The general behavior of H₂O adsorption on clean and oxygen-precovered Al(111) (θ_O ? monolayer) is rather similar at low temperature, but much higher reactivity for dissociative adsorption of H₂O to form OH _adsis noted on the oxygen-dosed surface around room temperature.     

Leed and thermal desorption studies of small molecules (H2, O2, CO,CO2, NO,C2H4, C2H2 AND C) chemisorbed on the rhodium (111) and (100) surfaces

The chemisorption of H₂, O₂, CO, CO₂, NO, C₂H₄, C₂H₂ and C has been studied on the clean Rh(111) and (100) surfaces. LEED, AES and thermal desorption were used to determine the surface structures, disordering and desorption temperatures, displacement and decomposition characteristics for each species. All of the molecules studied readily chemisorbed on both surfaces. A large variety of ordered structures was observed, especially on the (111) surface. The disordering temperatures of most ordered surface structures on the (111) surface were below 100°C. It was necessary to adsorb the gases at 25° C or below in order to obtain well-ordered surface structures. Chemisorbed oxygen was readily removed from the surface by H₂ or CO gas at crystal temperatures above 50°C. CO₂ appears to dissociate to CO upon adsorption on both rhodium surfaces as indicated by the identical ordering and desorption characteristics of these two molecules. C₂H₄ and C₂H₂ also had very similar ordering and desorption characteristics and it is likely that the adsorbed species formed by both molecules is the same. Decomposition of ethylene produced a sequence of ordered carbon surface structures on the (111) face as a result of a bulk-surface carbon equilibrium. The chemisorption properties of rhodium appear to be generally similar to those of iridium, nickel and palladium.     

AES and LEED studies of xenon adsorption on (100)NaCl

The thermal and electro impact behaviour of NO adsorbed on Pt(111) and Pt(110) have been studied by LEED, Auger spectroscopy, and thermal desorption. NO was found to adsorb non-dissociatively and with very similar low coverage adsorption enthalpies on the two surfaces at 300 K. In both cases, heating the adlayer resulted in partial dissociation and led to the appearance of N₂ and O₂ in the desorption spectra. The (111) surface was found to be significantly more active in inducing the thermal dissociation of NO, and on this surface the molecule was also rapidly desorbed and dissociated under electron impact. Cross sections for these processes were obtained, together with the desorption cross section for atomically bound N formed by dissociation of adsorbed NO. Electron impact effects were found to be much less important on the (110) surface. The results are considered in relation to those already obtained by Ertl et al. for NO adsorption on Ni(111) and Pd(111), and in particular, the unusual desorption kinetics of N₂ production are considered explicitly. Where appropriate, comparisons are made with the behaviour of CO on Pt(111) and Pt(110), and the adsorption kinetics of NO on the (110) surface have been examined.     

The interaction of hydrazine with an Fe(111) surface

The interaction of hydrazine with a clean and nitrogen precovered Fe(111) surface was investigated in the temperature range of 126–600 K by means of UV and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (PES). At temperatures below 170 K the molecular adsorption of hydrazine is followed by multilayer condensation. In going from adsorbed to condensed hydrazine the valence and core levels shift in different directions relative to the vertical gas phase ionisation energies indicating strong interactions via hydrogen bonding in the condensed phase. Dissociative adsorption of N₂H₄ was observed at temperatures above 220 K. At room temperature no difference in the photoelectron spectra following the adsorption of N₂H₄ or NH₃ was observed indicating the presence of the same surface species, predominantly being -NH₂ radicals. Preadsorbed nitrogen stabilizes N₂H₄ against decomposition. The results will be discussed in view of possible intermediates in the ammonia-synthesis reaction on iron. Simple thermochemical arguments are presented to explain the observed difference in the heterogeneous dissociation mechanism of hydrazine on transition metals. General conclusions on the mechanism of ammonia synthesis on various transition metals can also be derived from these thermodynamic considerations.     

A vibrational study of ammonia chemisorbed on Ni(110) and Ni(111): whither goest the metal-nitrogen stretching mode on FCC (111) surfaces?

The adsorption of ammonia on the Ni(110) and Ni(111) surfaces has been studied with high resolution (≤ 65 cm_?1) electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS) combined with thermal desorption spectroscopy. The EELS spectra of the initial chemisorbed layer or α state on each surface are very different. Ammonia chemisorbed on the Ni(110) surface exhibits a strong Ni-N stretching mode at 570 cm^?1 which is absent on the Ni(111) surface. The Ammonia adsorption site appears to be different on the Ni(110) and Ni(111) surfaces. We suggest that the absence of the M-N stretching mode on the Ni(111) surface is a general characteristic of the ammonia adsorption site on the (111) surfaces of fcc Group VIII metals.     

三甲基镓在Pd(111)表面吸附解离及表面预吸附H和O的影响

利用X-射线光电子能谱（XPS）和程序升温脱附谱（TPD）研究了三甲基镓在Pd（111）表面的吸附和解离行为,并考察了表面预吸附H和O的影响。结果表明,在吸附温度为140 K时,三甲基镓在Pd（111）上主要为解离吸附,此时表面物种为Ga（CH₃）_x （x=1,2,3）和CH_x物种。加热将导致Ga的甲基化合物中的Ga-C键发生分步断裂,在不同温度下产生CH₄和H₂从表面脱附。同时,XPS结果证实了在275~325 K的温度区间内存在Ga甲基化合物的分子脱附。退火至更高温度,表面只观察到积碳和金属Ga物种,这二者随着温度的继续升高逐渐向体相扩散。在Pd（111）表面预吸附O和H对上述吸附和解离行为存在显著的影响。当表面预吸附H时,脱附产物CH₄和H₂的脱附主要位于315 K,可归属为一甲基镓的解离脱附。当表面预吸附O时,只在258 K观察到CH₄和H₂的脱附峰,可能来自于Pd-O-Ga（CH₃）₂吸附结构的解离.     

Adsorption of hydrogen on palladium single crystal surfaces

The adsorption of hydrogen on clean Pd(110) and Pd(111) surfaces as well as on a Pd(111) surface with regular step arrays was studied by means of LEED, thermal desorption spectroscopy and contact potential measurements. Absorption in the bulk plays an important role but could be separated from the surface processes. With Pd(110) an ordered 1 × 2 structure and with Pd(111) a 1 × 1 structure was formed. Maximum work function increases of 0.36, 0.18 and 0.23 eV were determined with Pd(110), Pd(111) and the stepped surface, respectively, this quantity being influenced only by adsorbed hydrogen under the chosen conditions. The adsorption isotherms derived from contact potential data revealed that at low coverages θ ∞ √p_H2, indicating atomic adsorption. Initial heats of H₂ adsorption of 24.4 kcal/mole for Pd(110) and of 20.8 kcal/mole for Pd(111) were derived, in both cases E_ad being constant up to at least half the saturation coverage. With the stepped surface the adsorption energies coincide with those for Pd(111) at medium coverages, but increase with decreasing coverage by about 3 kcal/mole. D₂ is adsorbed on Pd(110) with an initial adsorption energy of 22.8 kcal/mole.     

The adsorption of CO,O2, and H2 on Pt: I. Thermal desorption spectroscopy studies

Thermal desorption spectroscopy (TDS) has been used to study the chemisorption of CO, O₂, and h₂ on Pt. It has been found that TDS is quite sensitive to local surface structure. Three single crystal and two polycrystalline Pt surfaces were studied. One single crystal was cut to expose the smooth, hexagonally close-packed plane of the fee Pt crystal (the (111) surface). The other two single crystals were cut to expose stepped surfaces consisting of smooth, hexagonally close-packed terraces six atoms wide separated by one atom high steps (the 6(111) × (100) and 6(111) × (111) surfaces). Only one predominant desorption state was observed for CO and H adsorbed on the smooth (111) single crystal surface, while two predominant desorption states were observed for these gases adsorbed on the stepped single crystal surfaces. The low temperature desorption states on the stepped surfaces are attributed to desorption from the terraces, while the high temperature desorption states are attributed to desorption from the steps. TDS of CO from the polycrystalline foils exhibited some desorption states which were similar to those observed on the stepped single crystal surfaces, indicating the presence of adsorption sites on the polycrystalline foils that were similar to the terrace and step sites on the stepped single crystals. In general, these results suggest a high density of defect sites on the polycrystalline foils which can not be attributed simply to adsorption at grain boundaries. Oxygen was found to adsorb well on the stepped single crystals and on the polycrystalline foils, but not on the smooth (111) single crystal, under the conditions of these experiments. This is attributed to a higher sticking probability for dissociative O₂ adsorption at steps or defects than on terraces.     

Adsorption behavior of H2O on clean and oxygen precovered Ni(s)(111)

Photoelectron spectroscopy (UPS), thermal desorption spectroscopy (TDS), isotope exchange experiments, work function change (δφ) and LEED were used to study the adsorption and dissociation behavior of H₂O on a clean and oxygen precovered stepped Ni(s)[12(111) × (111)] surface. On the clean Ni(111) terraces fractional monolayers of H₂O are adsorbed weakly in a single adsorption state with a desorption peak temperature of 180 K, just above that of the ice multilayer desorption peak (T_m = 155 K). In the angular resolved UPS spectra three H₂O induced emission maxima at 6.2, 8.5 and 12.3 eV below E_F were found for θ ≈ 0.5. Angular and polarization dependent UPS measurements show that the C_2v symmetry of the H₂O gas-phase molecule is not conserved for H₂O(ad) on Ni(s)(111). Although the Δφ suggest a bonding of H₂O to Ni via the negative end of the H₂O dipole, the O atom, no hints for a preferred orientation of the H₂O molecular axes were found in the UPS, neither for the existence of water dimers nor for a long range ordered H₂O bilayer. These results give evidence that the molecular H₂O axis is more or less inclined with respect to the surface normal with an azimuthally random distribution. H₂O adsorption at step sites of the Ni(s)(111) surface leads in TDS to a desorption maximum at T_m = 225 K; the binding energy of H₂O to Ni is enhanced by about 30% compared to H₂O adsorbed on the terraces. Oxygen precoverage causes a significant increase of the H₂O desorption energy from the Ni(111) terraces by about 50%, suggesting a strong interaction between H₂O and O(ad). Work function measurements for H₂O+O demonstrate an increase of the effective H₂O dipole moment which suggests a reorientation of the H₂O dipole in the presence of O(ad), from inclined to a more perpendicular position. Although TDS and Δφ suggest a significant lateral interaction between H₂O+O(ad), no changes in the molecular binding energies in UPS and no “isotope exchange” between ¹⁸O(ad) and H₂¹⁶O(ad) could be observed. Also, dissociation of H₂O could neither be detected on the oxygen precovered Ni(s)(111) nor on the clean terraces.     

Adsorption and decomposition of HNCO on Cu(111) surface studied by auger electron,electron energy loss and thermal desorption spectroscopy

No detectable adsorbed species were observed after exposure of HNCO to a clean Cu(111) surface at 300 K. The presence of adsorbed oxygen, however, exerted a dramatic influence on the adsorptive properties of this surface and caused the dissociative adsorption of HNCO with concomitant release of water. The adsorption of HNCO at 300 K produced two new strong losses at 10.4 and 13.5 eV in electron energy loss spectra, which were not observed during the adsorption of either CO or atomic N. These loses can be attributed to surface NCO on Cu(111). The surface isocyanate was stable up to 400 K. The decomposition in the adsorbed phase began with the evolution of CO₂. The desorption of nitrogen started at 700 K. Above 800 K, the formation of C₂N₂ was observed. The characteristics of the CO₂ formation and the ratios of the products sensitively depended on the amount of preadsorbed oxygen. No HNCO was desorbed as such, and neither NCO nor (NCO)₂ were detected during the desorption. From the comparison of adsorption and desorption behaviours of HNCO, N, CO and CO₂ on copper surfaces it was concluded that NCO exists as such on a Cu(111) surface at 300 K. The interaction of HNCO with oxygen covered Cu(111) surface and the reactions of surface NCO with adsorbed oxygen are discussed in detail.     

NH3 adsorption on Ni(110) and the production of the NH2 species by electron irradiation

The adsorption of NH₃ on Ni(110) has been examined using electron stimulated desorption ion angular distribution (ESDIAD), low energy electron diffraction (LEED) and thermal desorption spectrometry (TDS). At ～ 85 K the NH₃ molecule enters into a series of chemisorption and physisorption states whose structures have been partially characterized by means of ESDIAD and LEED. Upon heating, these NH₃ states desorb without dissociation; for adsorption below 300 K there is essentially no thermal decomposition. The ammonia adiayer was found to be extremely sensitive to electron irradiation effects. Evidence was found to support the irradiation induced conversion of NH₃(ads) to an amido intermediate, nh_2(ads). The NH₂ adsorbs with its C_2v axis normal to the surface and its NH bonds aligned along the [001] and [001?] directions. In the absence of further electron irradiation the nh_2(ads) species is stable to 375 K whereupon it dissociates to N_(ads)and H_2(g). The remaining N_(ads) desorbs near 750 K with significant attractive N…N interaction. No evidence is found for an imido intermediate, nh_(ads). nh_2(ads) also undergoes a disproportionation/recombination reaction upon heating to produce an additional NH₃ desorption state. A significant isotope effect for NH versus ND scission, sensitive to the adsorption state of the ammonia, is found to occur upon electron irradiation.     

Chlorine chemisorption and surface chloride formation on Au(111)

The adsorption-desorption properties of the gold(111)-chlorine system have been investigated. Thermal desorption experiments following chlorine adsorption at 298 K indicated two desorption processes: the high temperature peak (ΔH = 217 kJmol^?1) showed desorption of equal numbers of molecukr and atomic chlorine species, while the lower temperature peak (ΔH = 140 kJmol^?1) was due to the desorption of Cl₂ only. Chlorine adsorption led to a maximum work function change of +0.5 V and electron-stimulated desorption proceeded with constant cross-section (1.4 × 10¹⁸ cm²), until all chlorine had been removed from the surface These observations are consistent with the immediate formation of a surface chloride (AuCl₃) during chlorine adsorption on Au(111) at 298 K without the intervention of an initial adsorbed overlayer.     

Field emission study of ammonia adsorption and catalytic decomposition on individual molybdenum planes

A probe-hole field emission microscope was used to investigate the crystallographic specificity of ammonia adsorption at 200 and 300 K on (110), (100), (211) and (111) molybdenum crystal planes. Chemisorbed NH₃ causes a large work function decrease, especially at 200 K in agreement with an associative adsorption model which can also explain that this decrease is more important on the crystal planes of highest work function (At 200 K, Δφ = ?2.25 eV on Mo(110) compared to Δφ = ?1.55 eV on Mo (111). The decomposition of NH₃ was followed by measuring the work function changes for stepwise heating of the Mo tip covered with NH₃ at 200 K. On the four studied planes NH₃ decomposition and H₂ desorption are completed at about 400 K. Δφ changes above 400 K depend on the crystal plane and have been related to two different nitrogen surface states. No inactive plane towards NH₃ adsorption and decomposition has been found but the noted crystallographic anisotropy in this low pressure study is relevant to the structure sensitive character of the NH₃ decomposition and synthesis reactions.     

First-principles calculations of ammonia decomposition on Ni(110) surface

First-principles calculations based on density functional theory (DFT) have been performed to study the adsorption and decomposition of NH₃ on Ni(110). The adsorption sites, the adsorption energies, the transition states and the activation energies of the stepwise dehydrogenation of NH₃ and the associative desorption of N are determined, and the zero point energy correction is included, which makes it possible to compute the rate constants of the elementary steps in NH₃ decomposition. Combined DFT calculations and kinetic analysis at 350 K indicate that the associative desorption of N has a reaction rate lower than NH_x dehydrogenation and is therefore the rate determining step. The distinctly different rate constants over Ni(110), Ni(111) and Ni(211) imply that ammonia decomposition over Ni-based catalyst is a structure-sensitive reaction.