The effects of a SiO2 partially catalytic surface on the nonequilibrium che
mical and vibrational kinetics of a five-species (N, N-2, O, O-2, NO) air m
ixture in the boundary layer of hypersonic reentry vehicles have been inves
tigated. To this aim, boundary-layer equations coupled to vibrational maste
r equations have been solved. The surface atomic recombination reactions ha
ve been considered as pumping the last bound vibrational level of N2 and O-
2 molecules. The results show a combined influence of gas-phase and surface
reactions on NO formation.