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Experimental Characterization of CCH(ads) and CCH 2 (ads) during the Thermal Decomposition of Methane and Ethylene on Ru(0 0 0 1)
Author(s) -
Kirsch Harald,
Tong Yujin,
Campen Richard Kramer
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
chemcatchem
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.497
H-Index - 106
eISSN - 1867-3899
pISSN - 1867-3880
DOI - 10.1002/cctc.201501046
Subject(s) - chemistry , dissociation (chemistry) , thermal decomposition , catalysis , decomposition , hydrogen , ethylene , methane , thermal stability , metal , chemical decomposition , photochemistry , organic chemistry
Catalytic dissociation of hydrocarbons on transition‐metal substrates plays a critical role in a variety of industrially important chemistry. Despite this importance, knowledge of the dissociation pathways of even the simplest hydrocarbons on single‐metal crystal surfaces in ultrahigh vacuum (UHV) is incomplete. In this study the temperature‐induced decomposition of CH 4 and C 2 H 4 on Ru(0 0 0 1) is characterized using high‐resolution vibrational spectroscopy of all interfacial CH stretch modes. By investigating both decomposition pathways concurrently we are able to unambiguously identify for the first time CCH 2 (ads) during the decomposition of C 2 H 4 , and CH 2 (ads), CCH 3 (ads), and CCH(ads) during the decomposition of CH 4 . Following this identification, the thermal stability of all species is described and also how this stability depends on carbon and hydrogen surface coverage. Although collected in UHV, these observations suggest under‐appreciated constraints on the chemistry of CH 4 and C 2 H 4 in high‐pressure applications.