A LEED study of the deposition of carbon on platinum crystal surfaces

Abstract

The deposition of carbon is studied by LEED on four platinum crystal faces: two low-index surfaces Pt(100), Pt(111)and two stepped surfaces Pt(S) − [5(100) × (111)], a vicinal of (100), Pt(S)−[6(111) × (100)], a vicinal of (111). Carbon, generated by flowing ethylene onto the hot platinum, causes the formation of a graphitic overlayer and surface rearrangements of the substrate. The threshold temperature for graphitization is the lowest on Pt(100). The overlayer exhibits a single preferred orientation on Pt(100), several orientations on Pt(111) and its vicinal. Ordered carbon structures can be detected on the vicinal of (111) for low carbon doses. The orientations found in spot patterns (perfect registry) or ring-like patterns (imperfect alignment) can be associated with a coincidence-site lattice condition at the Pt/C interface. Faceting is observed except on Pt(111); the vicinal of (100) is particularly unstable. The stepped array on the vicinal of (111) starts to disorder at 350°C and can be converted into a hill and valley configuration at higher temperatures and carbon doses. Implications for catalytic studies are discussed.