Vibrational EELS studies of CO chemisorption on clean and carbided (111), (100) and (110) nickel surfaces

Room temperature adsorption of CO on bare and carbided (111), (100) and (110) nickel surfaces has been studied by vibrational electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS) and thermal desorption. On the clean (100) and (110) surfaces two configurations of CO adsorbed species, namely "terminal" and bridge bonded CO, are observed simultaneously. On Ni(111), only two-fold sites are involved. The presence of superficial carbon lowers markedly the bond strength of CO on Ni(111)C and Ni(110)C surfaces, while no adsorption has been detected on the Ni(100)C surface. Moreover, on the carbided Ni(110)C surface, the adsorption mode for adsorbed CO is changed with respect to the clean surface; only "terminal" CO is then observed.