EELS analysis of the low temperature phase of ethylene chemisorbed on Pd(111)

The chemisorption of C₂H₄ and C₂D₄ on Pd(111) at 150 K has been studied by high resolution electron energy loss spectroscopy. Analysis of the vibrational spectra indicates that (i) C₂H₄ is more weakly bound on Pd(111) than on Ni(111) and Pt(111) and (ii) softened and broadened CH stretching frequencies suggest hydrogen bond-like interactions between the molecule and the metal surface.     

A model of ethylene and acetylene adsorption on the (111) surfaces of platinum and nickel

Despite the application of a variety of surface sensitive techniques to the adsorption of simple hydrocarbons on well characterized metallic surfaces, no consistent picture has appeared. We review briefly the published spectroscopic results of ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy (UPS) and electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS) which probe, respectively, the electronic and vibrational structure of the surface-molecular complex, and we consider appropriate free molecular analogues, not only in their ground state but also in their first excited states. A simplified approach to determine the chemisorption geometry from UPS level shifts and EELS is presented. The technique allows an isolation of distortion induced shifts from the total relaxation shift, and we find that the true relaxation shift is rather constant, approximately 2.1 eV for the cases considered. These shifts can then be used to estimate the distance of the molecule to the surface. We concentrate primarily on four systems, C₂H₂ and C₂H₄ on Ni(111) and Pt(111), adsorbed at low temperature (below the onset of dissociation). Depending on the metal, the hydrocarbon can adsorb in a di-σ arrangement or with a distortion resembling the lowest energy configuration of the first excited state of the free molecule. We also consider briefly C₂H₄ on Ag and Cu in which no distortion occurs. The distortions that resemble the first excited states might occur as a consequence of donation of bonding (backbonding) electrons from (to) the normally filled π (empty π¹) to (from) the empty (filled) d-band states of the metal. The net effect on the hydrocarbon to partially empty the π level and fill the π¹ level, is analogous to a low excitation of the free molecule, π → π¹. For C₂H₄ (planar in the ground state), the lowest excitation is the triplet T-state (3–4 eV) of minimal energy for a 90° twisted configuration with a lengthened C-C bond. Acetylene is a linear molecule in the ground state, but cis- or trans-bent for the triplet excitations, ~a (5.2 eV) or ~b (6.0 eV), respectively. Chemisorbed geometries derived from these configurations seem possible for C₂H₄ on Ni(111) and C₂H₂ on Pt(111), while interchanging the adsorbates and substrates gives di-σ bonding, (sp³ hybridization), as proposed previously in the literature. For C₂H₄ on Ni(111), two of the hydrogens are twisted into the surface which leads to a softening of the CH vibrational frequency. For the four systems considered, the data are consistent with the C-C bond essentially parallel to the surface, but tilted orientations are not ruled out. While the models are clearly oversimplified, they suggest an interesting point of departure for likely chemisorption geometries. Also, some intriguing correspondences to the (presumed) location of the normally empty π¹ level and the d-band are noted.     

Coordination of acetonitrile (CH3CN) to platinum (111): Evidence for an η2(C,N) species

Acetonitrile (CH₃CN) coordination to a Pt(111) surface has been studied with electron energy loss vibrational spectroscopy (EELS), XPS, thermal desorption and work function measurements. We compare data for the surface states with known acetonitrile coordination complexes. For CH₃CN adsorbed on Pt(111) at 100 K, the molecule is rehybridized and adsorbs with the CN bond parallel or slightly inclined to the surface plane in an η²(C, N) configuration. The ν(CN) frequency is 1615 cm^?1 and the C ls and N ls binding energies are 284.6 eV and 397.2 eV respectively. By contrast, weakly adsorbed multilayer acetonitrile exhibits a ν(CN) vibrational frequency of 2270 cm^?1, and C ls and N ls binding energies of 286.9 eV and 400.1 eV respectively. Both the EELS and XPS results are consistent with rehybridization of the CN triple bond to a double bond with both C and N atoms of the CN group attached to the surface. In addition to this majority η²(C, N) monolayer state, evidence is found for a second, more strongly bound minority molecular state in thermal desorption spectra. As a result of the low coverage of this state, EELS was unable to spectroscopically identify it and we tentatively assign it as an η⁴(C, N) species associated with accidental step sites. By contrast to the surface complexes, almost all of the known platinum-nitrile coordination complexes are end-bonded via the N lone-pair orbital. Several cases of side-on bonding are known, however, and we compare the results with the known complex Fe₃(η²-NCCH₃)(CO)₉. The difference in the coordinative properties of a Pt(111) surface versus a single Pt atom must be due to the increased ability of multi-atom arrays to back-donate electrons into the π¹ system of acetonitrile. Previously published EELS and XPS results for monolayer acetonitrile on Ni(111) and polycrystalline films are almost identical to the present results on Pt(111). We believe that the monolayer of $\text{CH}{}_3\text{CN}\text{Ni}\text{(111)}$ is also an η²(C, N) species, not an end-bonded species previously proposed by Friend, Muetterties and Gland.     

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.     

Identification of surface vibrations on clean and oxygen covered Pt(111) surfaces with high resolution electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS)

Clean and oxygen covered {111} recrystallized Pt surfaces were studied by EELS after surface preparation at 150≤T≤165OK. The clean surface shows Stokes as well as anti-Stokes lines of surface phonons at ±195^?1. Adsorption of small amounts of (<10^?2 monolayers) of O₂ or H₂ leads to substrate-derived phonon losses at ±380cm^?1. Oxygen exposure at different pressures, times and temperatures leads to atomic and/or molecular adsorption as well as oxide-related features which have been identified by EELS.     

EELS of methane physisorbed on NaCl(100)

EELS spectra of CH₄, CD₄ and CH₂D₂ physisorbed on NaCl(100) at 40 K are presented. For the clean NaCl surface, increasing the incident beam energy to the 30 to 50 eV range is sufficient to overcome charging effects. However, when adsorbate is present charging prevents extended signal averaging. All methane modes appear to contribute to the EELS spectra. Loss peaks corresponding to adsorbate vibrations are very broad (400 to 600 cm⁻¹, FWHH), the low resolution being probably due to a combination of effects including surface disorder, scattering of electrons by gas phase molecules and charging effects.     

Interaction of acetylene and ethylene with an Fe(111) surface

The chemisorption of C₂H₂ and C₂H₄ on a clean or partly C- or O-covered Fe(111) surface was investigated with AES, TDS and HREELS. On the clean surface, both molecules adsorb under strong rehybridization close to sp³. Above 230 K, C₂H₂ reacts to form CH and presumably CH₂ as the main products, which on further heating decompose to yield H₂ desorption maxima at 580 and 490 K, leaving two carbon species on the surface which correspond to two loss peaks at 400 and 1290 cm^?1 in the HREELS spectrum. C₂H₄ undergoes very rapid decomposition above 250 K; no intermediates have been detected. The presence of coadsorbed oxygen or carbon atoms only reduced the maximum uptake of C₂H₂, but led to the appearance of new molecular adsorption states of C₂H₄ and inhibited C₂H₄ decomposition.     

Vibrational EELS,XPS and UPS study of CO chemisorbed on Pt10Ni90(111): Evidence for the existence of different sites

CO adsorption on the (111) face of a Pt₁₀Ni₉₀ alloy single crystal has been investigated at room temperature by vibrational electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS) and photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS and UPS). Two well separated CO stretching modes develop at 2070 and 1820 ± 10 cm^?1, with their intensities reaching 64 and 36% respectively of the total intensity at saturation coverage. They are attributed to CO adspecies in terminal and bridge bonded configuration respectively. The UPS spectra of 4σ, 5σ and 1π molecular orbitais of adsorbed CO show complex features which may be resolved into two components having the main characteristics of CO adsorbed on pure Pt(111) and Ni(111) respectively. Such behaviour is also observed by XPS on C 1s on O 1s peaks. Their respective contributions, in both XPS and UPS spectra are about 64 and 36% of the whole spectrum. Finally compared to Ni(111) — on which CO adsorbs mainly in bridge configuration — the alloying with 10% Pt has generated the appearance of a large number of new sites for CO chemisorption associated with the presence of Pt atoms at the surface. The large amount of terminal CO adspecies is interpreted in terms of considerable surface enrichment of the alloy in platinum.     

Two-dimensional condensation of water and alcohols on NaF

On the surface of NaF the adsorption isotherms of H₂O, D₂O, CH₃OH, C₃H₃OH and 1-C₃H₇OH as well as the infrared spectra of H₃O, D₂O, dilute HDO, CH₃OH and CH₃OD were measured. The adsorption temperatures of H₃O (253–308 K) were within the phase transition region where two phases of low and high density coexist, while those of CH₃OH, C₂H₅OH and 1-C₃H₃OH were yet within a super-critical region. The entropy of the 2D condensed H₂O on NaF was found to be 14.0 cal K^?1 mol^?1, which suggests that the condensed phase of water on NaF is liquid-like. The OD stretching band of dilute HDO in the 2D condensed water gives a maximum adsorption at ca. 2530 cm^?1 with a half width of ca. 150 cm^?1, being in good agreement with that in liquid water. Comparison of the integrated absorbance of the D₂O bending mode with that of the OD stretching mode suggests that the cluster size of the 2D condensed water on NaF decreases with increasing temperature. The 2D critical temperature and the occupied areas of these adsorbates enable us to conclude that the compatibility of the molecular size with the surface lattice is not important in the occurrence of the 2D condensation of the hydrogen-bonding molecules on NaF and that adsorbed molecules are randomly oriented on the surface to the extent similar to that in 3D liquid state.     

An inelastic neutron scattering study of C2H2 adsorbed on type 13X zeolites

The inelastic neutron scattering spectra of C₂H₂ and C₂D₂ adsorbed on a Ag⁺ exchanged 13X zeolite (0–800 cm^?1) and of C₂H₂ on the Na⁺ form (0–300 cm^?1) have been obtained. For the Na-13X system no distinct vibrational modes were observed, however for the Ag-13X systems the low frequency intramolecular modes of the adsorbed gas and some of the vibrations of the adsorbed gas relative to the surface have been assigned. From the deuteration shifts it appears that C₂H₂ and C₂D₂, adsorbed on Ag-13X, are non-linear.     

A static SIMS/TPD study of the kinetics of methoxy formation and decomposition on O/Pt(111)

The kinetics and mechanism of the decomposition of methanol (CH₃OD) on oxygen-covered Pt(111) were studied using static secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) and temperature programmed desorption (TPD). The initial sticking coefficient and the saturation first layer coverage of CH₃OD are unity and 0.36 ML, respectively. The maximum amounts decomposed in TPD on O/Pt(111) and clean Pt(111) are 0.19 and 0.047 ML, respectively. At low methanol coverages (< 0.05 ML) on O/Pt(111) the only reaction products were CO₂, H₂O and D₂O, whereas at saturation CO, H₂O, D₂O and H₂ were observed. The decomposed amount did not saturate at or before the onset of molecular methanol desorption, but increeased monotonically until saturation of the first layer. No oxygen exchange was observed between CH₃OD and preadsorbed ¹⁸O. A decomposition mechanism involving methoxy and hydroxyl type species is proposed. Methanol coverages as low as 0.002 ML could be detected with SIMS. The CH₃⁺ ion was the most intense ion in the positive SIMS spectrum of both methanol and methoxy. Larger ion clusters such as (CH₃OD)_n⁺ (n = 2, 3) developed successively at specific multilayer coverages. At low coverages on O/Pt(111), methoxy formation occurs above 125 K and its decomposition becomes detectable above 150 K during temperature programming. In the isothermal mode, the SIMS CH₃⁺ ion was used to follow the kinetics. Over the temperature range 120–145 K, the second order Arrhenius rate parameters for methoxy formation are E = 5.5±0.7 kcal/mol and A = 1.5×10^−7±0.6 cm²/s·molecule for an initial methanol coverage of 0.05 ML. Methoxy decomposition was studied in the temperature range 150–165 K and at an initial coverage of 0.015 ML. The first order kinetic parameters, E = 11.4±0.5 kcal/mol and A = 5.3×10^13±1 s⁻¹ were derived. Advantages and limitations of using SIMS as a tool for kinetic studies are discussed.     

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.     

Reactive scattering of small molecules from platinum crystal surfaces: D2CO,CH3OH,HCOOH, and the nonanomalous kinetics of hydrogen atom recombination

The decomposition of D₂CO, CH₃OD and HCOOH on Pt(110) and of D₂CO on Pt(S)-[9(111) × (100)] was studied by molecular beam relaxation spectroscopy. D₂CO and CH₃OD evolved CO and H₂ via a desorption limited sequence of elementary steps. The rate constant for CO desorption from Pt(110) was 6 × 10¹⁴exp(? 35.5 $\text{kcal}\text{gmol}$ · RT) s^?1, and from Pt(S)-[9(111) × (100)] it was 1 × 10¹⁵ exp(?36.2 $\text{kcal}\text{gmol}\text{·RT}$) s^?1. On Pt(110) the rate constant for hydrogen formation was 10^{0 ± 1}exp(?24 $\text{kcal}\text{gmol}\text{·RT}$) $\text{m}\text{?}{}^2\text{atom}$ · s. On Pt(S)-[9(111) × (100)] two pathways for H₂ formation existed with rate constants of 8.7 × 10^?2exp( ?24.9 $\text{kcal}\text{gmol}\text{· RT}$) $\text{cm}{}^2\text{atom}$· s and 3.2 × 10^?3 exp(?19.5 $\text{kcal}\text{gmol}\text{·RT}$) $\text{cm}{}^2\text{atom}\text{·}$ s. These pre-exponential factors are in order of magnitude agreement with values typical of hydrogen recombination on other metals. When a small amount of sulfur ( ~ 0.1 ML) was adsorbed on the stepped Pt surface, only one pathway for H₂ formation existed due to blockage of stepped sites. A similar result was obtained when a beam of CO was impinged on the surface. Formic acid decomposed via a branched process to form primarily CO₂ and H₂.     

A monte-carlo/molecular dynamics study of the diffusional recombination kinetics of C(a) + O(a) → CO(g) on Pt(111)

The diffusion constants for C and O adsorbates on Pt(111) surfaces have been calculated with Monte-Carlo/Molecular Dynamics techniques. The diffusion constants are determined to be D_C(T)=(3.4 × 10^?3e^{$\text{?13156}\text{T}$})cm²s^?1 for carbon and D_O(T) = (1.5×10^?3 e^{$\text{?9089}\text{T}$}) cm² s^?1 for oxygen. Using a recently developed diffusion model for surface recombination kinetics an approximate upper bound to the recombination rate constant of C and O on Pt(111) to produce CO_(g) is found to be (9.4×10^?3 e^{$\text{?9089}\text{T}$}) cm² s^?1.     

Vibrational assignments for styrene-β-D2 from the infrared and Raman spectra

The molecule styrene-β-D₂ has been prepared. The liquid-phase infrared spectrum in the region 400 to 3500 cm^?1 and the laser Raman spectrum have been recorded. Vibrational assignments for this molecule have been made largely by comparison with those of Condirston and Laposa (2) for C₆H₅CHCH₂, C₆H₅CDCD₂, C₆D₅CHCH₂, and C₆D₅CDCD₂.     

Line strength and collisional broadening coefficients of H2O at 2.7 μm for natural gas quality assurance applications

We employed tunable diode laser absorption spectroscopy to measure the line strength, the methane (CH₄), ethane (C₂H₆) and the propane (C₃H₈) broadening coefficients for the 523–422 H₂O transition at 3619.61 cm^?1. Water amount fractions generated by a stable and accurate humidity transfer standard, traceable to the SI units via the German national humidity standard, were used to calibrate the spectroscopic line strength measurements. We focus on the traceability of the measured line data to the SI and on uncertainty assessments following the guidelines of the Guide to the Expression of Uncertainty in Measurement. We determined the line strength to be (8.42 ± 0.07)×10^?20 cm^?1/(cm^?2 molecule) corresponding to a relative uncertainty of ±0.8%. To the best of our knowledge, we report the first methane, ethane and propane broadening coefficients of (8.037 ± 0.056)×10^?5 cm^?1/hPa, (9.077 ± 0.064)×10^?5 cm^?1/hPa and (10.469 ± 0.073)×10^?5 cm^?1/hPa for the 523–422 H₂O transition at 3619.61 cm^?1, respectively. The relative combined uncertainties of the stated CH₄, C₂H₆ and C₃H₈ broadening coefficients are in the ±0.7% range.     

The infrared spectrum of diazirine: . Rovibrational analysis of the ν3 fundamental

Diazirine is one of the seven possible isomers of diazomethane. The medium-resolution infrared spectrum of this cyclic compound, which seems to be very stable in the gas phase, was reported by Ettinger. The mid-infrared spectra of diazirine and of the substituted isotopic species D₂CN₂, H₂¹³CN₂, and H₂C¹⁵N₂ were recorded with a resolution of 0.08 cm^?1. The overall assignment of these spectra is reported here. The ν₃ fundamental of the main species at 1459.15 cm^?1 (CH₂ deformation) is an A-type parallel band but presents a complicated band structure since diazirine is an asymmetric rotor with κ = ?0.427. The rovibrational assignment and the analysis of this band, together with the determination of the molecular constants, is given.     

Raman spectra of pyridine adsorbed on Ni(111)

We have measured the intensities of the 992 cm^?1 (ν₁) and 1032 cm^?1 (ν₁₂) lines in the Raman spectra of pyridine multilayers adsorbed on a Ni(111) surface, as a function of multilayer thickness. These experiments have been carried out in a standard ultra high vacuum chamber with Auger electron spectroscopy and mass spectroscopy capabilities. We find that the intensity of the 992 cm^?1 line decreases linearly with multilayer thickness down to ～ 5 layers. From these data and spectra of submonolayer quantities of Nitrobenzene on Ni(111) we predict an observable intensity for unenhanced spectra for monolayer amounts of pyridine on Ni(111). Attempts at observation of monolayer pyridine on this surface have been unsuccessful. We conclude that the scattering intensity of chemisorbed pyridine on Ni(111) is not enhanced and is likely less than would be predicted from the gas phase cross section.     

Surface vibrations and the nature of the adsorption state: C2H2 on Pt(111)

Molecular vibrations of C₂H₂ and C₂D₂ adsorbed on Pt(111) at 140 K and ∼300K have been measured by high resolution electron energy loss spectroscopy. The comparison of C₂H₂ and C₂D₂ spectra allows an unambiguous assignment of the observed losses to the excitation of C−H bending, C−H stretching, and C−C stretching modes of nondissociatively adsorbed acetylene. From the relative intensities of losses the hybridisation state is determined to be nearsp ². The C−C stretching frequency indicates a C−C bond order of ∼1.8.     

Potential models and local mode vibrational eigenvalue calculations for acetylene

Two potential models for acetylene are developed and tested by comparison between variational calculations for the stretching vibrational term values and available spectroscopic data. The first model based on local bond potentials with harmonic interbond coupling gives root mean square deviations of 6 cm^?1 for C₂H₂ and 3 cm^?1 for C₂D₂. The second model is more ambitious, being designed to reproduce the dissociation characteristics of the molecules, and the calculated root mean square deviations from the experimental vibrational term values are larger, 32 cm^?1 for C₂H₂ and 24 cm^?1 for C₂D₂. The eigenvalue spectrum of C₂H₂ is shown to differ from that of C₂D₂ in showingmarked local mode features and this difference in behaviour is underlined by means of a correlation diagram. Finally it is shown how the known normal mode frequencies and anharmonic constants may be introduced into a simple model in order to predict the excited term values of C₂H₂, again with a root mean square deviation of 6 cm^?1.