Surface Carbonate on Ag{110}: an X-Ray Absorption Fine-Structure Study

Abstract

The surface carbonate species formed by the reaction of CO2 with preadsorbed oxygen on Ag{110} has been studied with x-ray photoabsorption techniques. The analysis of the oxygen and carbon K near edge structure (NEXAFS) shows that the molecule is adsorbed flat on the surface and that, at least for the σ-resonances, the effective symmetry remains D3h. The observed (1 × 2) surface structure thus results from an adsorbate-induced reconstruction. The analysis of the extended fine structure (SEXAFS) gives an O-Ag bond length of 2.8 Å.