The Nature of Surface Species Formed Upon Adsorption of CO, O2 and Nitrogen Oxides on High Surface Area CoO-MgO and NiO-MgO Solid Solutions as Investigated by ESR Spectroscopy

Abstract

The paper reports an ESR investigation of the surface species which are formed upon adsorption of O 2 , CO, N 2 O, NO and NO 2 on high surface area NiO-MgO and CoO-MgO solid solutions, previously activated under vacuum at 1173 K. The adsorption of O 2 on the same samples was studied by conventional volumetric techniques. The results allow for the discussion of the mechanism of oxygen adsorption. In the light of the knowledge of the nature and stability of the oxygen surface species, the mechanisms of the C0+O 2 reaction and N 2 O decomposition are discussed.