The interaction of hydrogen with carbidic carbon deposited on Ni(100)
by decomposing methane has been studied by isothermal hydrogenation ex
periments and by temperature-programmed hydrogen desorption (H-2-TPD).
The hydrogenation experiments were made in the hydrogen-pressure rang
e 0.5-10 Torr and the temperature range 450-550 K The hydrogenation cu
rves indicate the presence of carbon states with different reactivitie
s. A kinetic model with carbon-state reactivities, which depend on the
local carbon concentration, is compatible with the hydrogenation resu
lts. H-2-TPD spectra were recorded for carbon coverages in the range 0
-0.34 ML. Application of a simple kinetic expression shows that the ''
effective'' hydrogen binding energy of the model depends on both the c
arbon and the hydrogen coverage.