TPD and HREELS Investigation of the Reaction of Formic Acid on ZrO2(100)

Article abstract of DOI:10.1021/j100151a046

The reaction of formic acid on the (100) surface of yttria-stabilized zirconia was studied using temperature-programmed desorption (TPD) and high-resolution electron energy loss spectroscopy (HREELS).Formic acid adsorbed molecularly at temperatures below 200 K and dissociated upon heating to room temperature to produce adsorbed formate and hydroxyl.Dehydration to CO was the primary pathway for decomposition of adsorbed formates.In addition to the dehydration pathway, a fraction of the adsorbed formates underwent dehydrogenation to CO2.Formaldehyde was also detected as a minor product.The influence of surface oxygen defects on the kinetics of formate decomposition was evaluated by comparing TPD results from oxygen-annealed and sputtered surfaces.