ESR study of electron interaction in a Tc/Al2O3 system

An investigation was made into the nature of paramagnetic centers in a Tc/Al₂O₃ system under varying conditions as to heat treatment and technetium content, and in O₂ and CO adsorption environments. It was found that in the case of reduction at 573 K Tc²⁺ ions and, conceivably, other ionic forms developed and stabilized on the carrier surface. After reduction at 973 K two types of electron center appeared, whose concentration increased as reduction was prolonged. Signals were observed in the low fields (3–20 mT) of the ESR spectra having g₁ 13.5 and g₂>30, which could be assigned to free charge carriers in a cluster of metal atoms or ions. Adsorption of O₂ at 300 K caused O ₂ ^– ion radicals to form on the surface of the reduced Tc/Al₂O₃ samples, both electron centers and technetium ions constituting the electron donors. In the case of CO adsorption paramagnetic (CO) ₂ ^– particles appeared on the Tc/Al₂O₃ samples after prolonged exposure. On reaction with O₂ two types of O ₂ ^– ion-radical with differing thermal stability were formed.Institute of Physical Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow. Translated from Izvestiya Akademii Nauk, Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 9, pp. 1972–1978, September, 1992.