화학공학소재연구정보센터
Journal of Physical Chemistry B, Vol.108, No.20, 6374-6380, 2004
High-pressure ammonia adsorption and dissociation on clean Fe(111) and oxygen-precovered Fe(111) studied by sum frequency generation vibrational spectroscopy
The adsorption of gases N-2, H-2, O-2, and NH3 that play a role in ammonia synthesis have been studied on the Fe(111) crystal surface by Sum Frequency Generation (SFG) vibrational spectroscopy using an integrated ultrahigh vacuum/higla-pressure system. SFG spectra are presented for the dissociation intermediates, NH2 (similar to3325 cm(-1)) and NH (similar to3235 cm(-1)) under high pressure of ammonia (200 Torr) on the clean Fe(111) surface. Addition of 0.5 Torr of oxygen to 200 Torr of ammonia does not significantly change the bonding of dissociation intermediates to the surface. However, it leads to a phase change of nearly 180degrees between the resonant and nonresonant second-order nonlinear susceptibility of the surface, demonstrated as a reversal of the SFG spectral features. Heating the surface in the presence of 200 Torr of ammonia and 0.5 Torr of oxygen reduces the oxygen coverage, which can be seen from the SFG spectra as another relative phase change of 180degrees. The reduction of the oxide is also supported by Auger electron spectroscopy. The result suggests that the phase change of the spectral features could serve as a sensitive indicator of the chemical environment of the adsorbates. Clean Fe(111) is found to have a large SFG nonresonant signal. The magnitude of the nonresonant signal was dependent on the adsorption species; O-2 and N-2 decrease, while H-2 and NH3 increase the SFG nonresonant signal. The change in nonresonant signal is correlated to the change in work function for Fe(111) upon adsorption. Adsorption-induced changes in the SFG nonresonant signal was used as an indicator of surface conditions and to monitor surface reactions.