Adsorption dynamics of CO2 on copper-precovered ZnO(0001)–Zn: A molecular-beam scattering and thermal-desorption spectroscopy study

Abstract

Initial, S(0), as well as coverage-dependent adsorption probability measurements, S(Theta), have been conducted at normal impact angle and as a function of the impact energy of CO(2), E(i), adsorption temperature, T(s), and copper precoverage, Theta(Cu) (at 300 K). S(0), which decreased from approximately 0.4 exponentially to approximately 0.05 with E(i) was independent of Theta(Cu). Astonishingly, S(0) for Cu on ZnO(0001)-Zn is smaller than for the clean support which indicates a chemical modification of the support by the Cu deposits. S(Theta) curves consist of two regimes, a Kisliuk-type and Langmuirian-type section. The first is consistent with capture zone models; the second may indicate direct adsorption of CO(2) on the Cu cluster. The thermal-desorption (TDS) curves for Cu on ZnO(0001)-Zn consist of two structures with binding energies of 26 and approximately 40 kJmol (nu=1 x 10(13) ls). The TDS results indicate that CO(2) populates predominantly the Cu deposits and the rim along the Cu nanoparticles. No indications for CO(2) dissociation could be obtained with Auger electron spectroscopy.