Surface chemistry of the metal-halogen interface: Bromine chemisorption and dibromide formation on palladium (111)

At 300 K and in the coverage regime ($\text{0<θ<}\text{1}\text{3}$) bromine chemisorbs rapidly on Pd(111); the sticking probability and dipole moment per adatom remain constant at 0.8 ± 0.2 and 1.2 D, respectively. This stage is marked by the appearance of a √3 structure: desorption occurs exclusively as atomic Br. At higher coverages, desorption of molecular Br₂ begins (desorption energy ～130 kJ mol^?1) as does the nucleation and growth of PdBr₂ on the surface. This latter stage is signalled by the appearance of a √2 LEED pattern and the observation of PdBr₂ as a desorption product (desorption energy ～37 kJ mol^?1). Some PdBr₂ is also lost by surface decomposition and subsequent evaporation of atomic Br. The data indicate that the transition state to Br adatom desorption is localised and that PdBr₂(a) ? Br(a) interconversion occurs; these surface species do not appear to be in thermodynamic equilibrium during the desorption process.