Defects and Reactivity at Oxide Surfaces: Experimental Aspects of the Interaction of Hydrogen, Co And Co2 with the Nio{001} Surface

This paper summarizes some previous or more recent experimental results on chemical interaction, at moderate temperatures, of H, H2, CO and CO2 with the surfaces of nickel oxide, mainly the NiO {001} surface. These results are in a general agreement with theoretical predictions. Nearly perfect surfaces of maximal valency oxides cannot react with molecules. Dissociation of molecules is often required for chemisorption. Conversely, chemical reaction is usually observed either when molecules are predissociated or the surface has defects with an energy level high enough to enable both dissociation and chemisorption. On a nearly perfect, “in situ” cleaved, NiO {001} surface, partially atomized h…