Energy Transfer Dynamics of Formate Decomposition on Cu(110).

Energy transfer dynamics of formate (HCOOa ) decomposition on a Cu(110) surface has been studied by measuring the angle-resolved intensity and translational energy distributions of CO2 emitted from the surface in a steady-state reaction of HCOOH and O2 . The angular distribution of CO2 shows a sharp collimation with the direction perpendicular to the surface, as represented by cosn θ (n=6). The mean translational energy of CO2 is measured to be as low as 100 meV and is independent of the surface temperature (Ts ). These results clearly indicate that the decomposition of formate is a thermal non-equilibrium process in which a large amount of energy released by the decomposition reaction of formate is transformed into the internal energies of CO2 molecules. The thermal non-equilibrium features observed in the dynamics of formate decomposition support the proposed Eley-Rideal (ER)-type mechanism for formate synthesis on copper catalysts.