Dissociation of CO on the Ru(1 1 2̄ 0) surface

The dissociation of CO on the Ru(1 1 2̄ 0) surface was investigated by thermal desorption spectroscopy and high resolution electron energy loss spectroscopy (HREELS). Up to about 20% of a monolayer CO dissociates on the Ru(1 1 2̄ 0) surface at room temperature. Oxygen (68 meV) and carbon (42 meV) are identified as dissociation products by HREELS. At temperatures below 240 K the precursor of dissociation can be stabilized. In this state, CO is tilted and presumably bonded at a kind of a fourfold hollow site. During annealing, CO2 formation is observed from CO reacting with oxygen from the dissociation.