A collision induced reaction: CO2 production on O-2 and CO covered Pt(111)

Impingement of energetic Xe atoms on a coadsorbed CO+O-2 monolayer on Pt(111) induces two concurrent collision-induced reaction channels: (a) formation of CO2 and (b) desorption of O-2 below the surface temperature where any thermal reaction occurs. We report measurements of the initial reaction probability, its energy dependence and the reaction kinetics. We also discuss the possible reaction mechanism for the collision-induced CO2 oxidation reaction. (C) 1996 American Institute of Physics.