Efficient N2 formation on Ag(111) by eley-rideal recombination of hyperthermal atoms

Using molecular dynamics simulations and potential energy surfaces of ab initio quality, we show that direct pickup of N adsorbates by gas-phase N is a highly efficient channel for N2 formation on Ag(111). This recombination process, called Eley-Rideal, was traditionally associated with lighter proj...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores: Blanco-Rey, María, Díaz, Estíbaliz, Bocan, Gisela A., Díez Muiño, Ricardo, Alducin Ochoa, Maite, Juaristi Oliden, Joseba Iñaki
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Estado:Versión aceptada para publicación
Fecha de publicación:2013
País:España
Institución:Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC)
Repositorio:DIGITAL.CSIC. Repositorio Institucional del CSIC
OAI Identifier:oai:digital.csic.es:10261/102297
Acceso en línea:http://hdl.handle.net/10261/102297
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:Potential energy surfaces
Molecular dynamics
Scattering
Eley−Rideal reactions
Gas−surface interactions
Descripción
Sumario:Using molecular dynamics simulations and potential energy surfaces of ab initio quality, we show that direct pickup of N adsorbates by gas-phase N is a highly efficient channel for N2 formation on Ag(111). This recombination process, called Eley-Rideal, was traditionally associated with lighter projectiles and regarded as marginal, but here, we obtain reactivities for N of ≳35% even at incident energies of a few eV. The good agreement found between simulated and published experimental energies of the desorbed N2 is a fingerprint of this otherwise elusive recombination. © 2013 American Chemical Society.