Dynamics of the dissociative adsorption of methane on Pt{110}(1 x 2)

An exhaustive molecular beam study of methane dissociation on Pt{110}(1 x 2) provides a new data base for modeling this process. Major new features include a sharp rise in dissociative sticking probability, s(o), with increasing translational energy, E-t, corresponding to a barrier of 238 meV, a dramatic increase in s(o) at higher E-t with increasing vibrational energy, and a significant rise in s(o) as E-t is lowered below similar to 100 meV. It is concluded that the low energy process is a distinctive steering-assisted direct adsorption pathway.