Jm. Bradley et al., CONTROL OF A BIPHASIC SURFACE-REACTION BY OXYGEN COVERAGE - THE CATALYTIC-OXIDATION OF AMMONIA OVER PT(100), Journal of physical chemistry, 99(46), 1995, pp. 17032-17042
The ammonia oxidation reaction on Pt{100} has been investigated over t
he temperature range 300-800 K, using molecular beams under UHV condit
ions. The reaction is biphasic, with N-2 being the major product below
600 K and NO being the major product above 600 K, It is found that pr
oduct selectivity can be controlled by varying the beam composition as
well as by varying the surface temperature. The efficiency of the rea
ction to NO can be significantly increased by preadsorption of oxygen
on the crystal. Coadsorption and isothermal experiments translate the
beam composition dependence into a surface oxygen coverage dependence,
with high oxygen coverages resulting in the suppression of N-2 produc
tion. N-2 is believed to be produced mainly from the dissociation of N
O produced by oxidation of adsorbed NH3. The observed oxygen coverage
dependence of product formation is explained by a sharp fall in the he
at of adsorption of the dissociated N(a) and O(a) with increasing O(a)
coverage. At high surface oxygen coverages the suppression of N-2 pro
duction arises from the resulting inhibition of NO dissociation. The o
bserved surface temperature dependence of product formation is explain
ed by competition between NO desorption and NO dissociation.