HETEROGENEOUS SURFACE RECOMBINATION OF NEUTRAL NITROGEN ATOMS

An overview of data reported in literature on heterogeneous surface recombination of nitrogen atoms is presented. The data are often scattered for over an order of magnitude depending on experimental technique and perhaps also on surface finish. As a general rule the recombination coefficient is rather small for materials that do not chemisorb nitrogen atoms, and it is rather large for some metals that are known as catalysts. Values as low as 5x10(-8) have been reported for Pyrex glass, although a typical value of the recombination coefficient for glasses is rather 1 x10(-5). The similar order of magnitude is found for very stable polymers such as polytetrafluoroethylene (teflon), although larger values are typical for some other polymers. The recombination coefficient for metals is typically 10(-2) but can be as large as 0.3 for selected catalysts.