THE ADSORPTION AND CATALYTIC DECOMPOSITION OF CO2 ON FE(111) SURFACES STUDIED WITH HIGH-RESOLUTION EELS

Pressure- and temperature-dependent HREELS measurements from CO2 on Fe(111) show that CO2 occupies a weakly bound linear state with characteristic modes at h omega = 80, 155, 170 and 290 meV and two additional stable bent states with characteristic losses at h omega = 50, 95, 145 and 133 meV, respectively. The analysis of the frequencies and loss intensities occurring at in- and off-specular measurements shows that in the linear state CO2 is in upright position. Dissociation into O and CO starts at 130 K and dissociation of CO starts at about room temperature. The formation of a carbonate species is questionable.