THE EFFECT OF THE STRUCTURE OF ICE ON THE AGGREGATION STATE OF COADSORBED FORMIC-ACID

In the present work we have investigated the effect of the structure o f ice on the adsorption of formic acid on its surface. Single crystal silicon wafers (100) coated by organized organic thin films (OOTFs) we re used as the substrate on top of which ice was deposited. The amount of water required to fully cover the surface was determined by measur ing the reactivity of the OOTF with O(P-3) atomic beam as a function o f ice coverage. It was found that the structure of vapor deposited for mic acid is affected by the phase of the underlying ice and that the p hase transition in the ice affects the infrared absorption spectrum of the formic acid. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science S.A. All rights reserved.