ADSORPTION AND DECOMPOSITION OF ETO ON CL-MODIFIED AG(111) AT LOW-TEMPERATURES

The adsorption and decomposition of ethylene oxide (EtO) on Cl-modified and oxygen-precovered Ag(111) at low temperatures with high resolution electron energy loss spectroscopy (HREELS) are studied. At 140 K, EtO is molecularly adsorbed on the surface. At above 230 K, with atomic oxygen on the surface, a small amount of EtO decomposes into ethylene and is oxidized to produce some oxidation products as water, etc. while with dioxygen on the surface, a large amount of EtO decomposes into ethylene and is oxidized to produce large amounts of oxidation products like water and so on. The experimental results showed that chlorine can, on the one hand, decrease the adsorption amount of Et() and, on the other hand, inhibit the further oxidation of EtO.