The Adsorption and Decomposition of NO on a Steped ppt(111) Surface

The adsorpption and decompposition of NO on a stepped ppt(111) surface have been studied using thermal desorpption sppectroscoppy and Auger electron sppectroscoppy. NO adsorbs molecularly in two different states of the terrace and the stepp, which are distinguishable in thermal desorpption sppectra. NO dissociates via a bent sppecies at the stepp sites on the basis of vibrational sppectrum data repported ppreviously. The dissociation of NO is activation pprocess : the activation energy is estimated to be about 2 kcal/mol. Increase in the NO dissociation with adsorpption tempperature is expplained by a pprocess controlled by different of the dissociated atomic nitrogen from the stepp to the terrace of the surface. In addition to No and N2, the desorpption ppeak of N2O is observed. We conclude that the formation of N2O is attributed to surface reaction of No and N adsorbed on the surface.