Characterization of the adsorption and decomposition of methanol on Ni(110)

Abstract

The chemisorption, condensation, desorption, and decomposition of methanol, both CH 3OH and CH 3OD, on a clean Ni(110) surface have been characterized using high resolution electron energy loss spectroscopy, temperature programmed reaction spectroscopy, and low energy electron diffraction. The vibrational spectrum of the saturated chemisorbed layer, 7.4 × 10 14 molecules cm −2, is almost identical to the infrared spectrum of liquid or solid methanol. Condensation of multilayers of methanol is facile at 80 K. The only quasi-stable intermediate isolated during the decomposition is a methoxy species, CH 3O, which decomposes thermally to CO and H. The evolution of both CO and H 2 occurs in desorption limited processes.