A BPTDS AND HREELS STUDY OF THE INTERACTION OF CYCLOHEXANE WITH THE PT(111) SURFACE

The surface chemistry of cyclohexane (c-C6H12) adsorbed on the Pt(1 1 1) surface has been investigated using bismuth postdosing thermal desorption mass spectroscopy (BPTDS) and high-resolution electron energy loss spectroscopy (HREELS). Cyclohexane was found to adsorb molecularly at 95 K in agreement with others. Cyclohexane decomposition begins at approximately 195 K and is complete by approximately 230 K as determined by BPTDS. Between 230 and 290 K, the dominant species on the surface are c-C6H9,a and H(a), with small amounts of adsorbed benzene also present. The C-C6H9,a converts to adsorbed benzene in the temperature range 290-340 K, almost simultaneous with the desorption of H(a) as H-2.