Effect of surface heterogeneity on surface diffusion in microporous solids

Abstract

Abstract An experimental investigation of the effect of surface energetic heterogeneity on surface diffusion using Vycor and Graphon and as gases ethane, propylene, nitrogen, and helium confirms published reports that surface diffusion proceeds more rapidly on the energetically homogeneous Graphon surfaces. Activation energies for diffusion are found to be about the same for Vycor and Graphon; thus, it is postulated that a major factor in the difference is surface roughness. A comparison of surface diffusion models shows that Fick's Law correlated results about as well as a hydrodynamic model. Both models fail to allow adequately for surface coverage. A comprehensive form of Fick's Law for surface diffusion is proposed.