Kinetic energy of methane molecules formed from methyl radicals adsorbed on copper

The method of temperature-programmed reaction (TPR) with the spatial resolu tion of desorbed product molecules and the measurements of their average ra tes (<v >) are used to study the transformation of methyl radicals adsorbed on polycrystalline copper. In the products of TPR, only methane is found. The spatial distribution of its desorption flow (SDDF) is described by the equation CH3.. The results of SDDF and I/I-0 = COS(16)psi measurements agre e with each other. Under these conditions, translationally excited methane molecules are desorbed from the copper surface. The energy of these molecul es is 10-15 times higher than the thermal energy.