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Virginia Tech

Reactions of Halogenated Ethylenes on the α-Cr₂O₃ (101̅2) Surface

Abstract

dc:description.abstract

The thermally induced reaction of halogenated ethylenes on the α-Cr₂O₃ (101̅2) single crystal surface results in the formation of gas phase hydrocarbons including acetylene, ethylene, butadiene, and dihydrogen, and deposition of surface chlorine adatoms. No surface carbon or combustion products are observed in any reactions indicating no thermally induced C-C bond cleavage occurs and surface lattice oxygen is not incorporated into surface intermediates. Thermal desorption spectroscopy indicates that in all halogenated ethylene reactions acetylene is the major product, regardless of the reaction scheme. The surface reactions of halogenated ethylenes are proposed to proceed through C-X (X=halogen) bond cleavage to form surface halogen adatoms and surface C2 hydrocarbon fragments. Halogen adatom deposition affects reaction barriers to hydrocarbon formation, and eventually shuts down surface chemistry. Photoemission and near edge x-ray absorption fine structure spectra show that all studied reactants undergo some C-X bond cleavage upon low temperature adsorption forming adsorbed C2 fragments and halogen adatoms. Photoemission for each reaction system shows at least two C1s features (283.0-286.0 eV) and two Cl2p features (2p<sub>3/2</sub>=198.0-201.0 eV) with higher binding energy features associated with molecularly intact halogenated ethylenes and lower binding energy features associated with dissociated surface species. Near edge x-ray absorption fine structure spectra taken, corresponding to photoemission spectra, indicate the occurrence of C1s→π∗ transitions, indicating intact π-systems are present. Heating the surface results in a reduction in intensity of higher energy photoemission and near edge x-ray absorption fine structure indicative of a decrease in surface C-X bonds.

Degree

thesis:*
Name thesis:degree_name
Ph. D.
Level thesis:degree_level
doctoral
Discipline thesis:degree_discipline
Chemical Engineering
Department dc:contributor.department
Chemical Engineering
Grantor dc:publisher
Virginia Tech
Year dc:date.issued
2006

Author and committee

dc:creator, dc:contributor.*
Author dc:creator
  • Minton, Mary Amanda
Chair dc:contributor.committeechair
  • Cox, David F.
Committee members dc:contributor.committeemember
  • Oyama, Shigeo Ted
  • Morris, John R.
  • Dillard, John G.
  • Hanson, Brian E.

Subjects

dc:subject × 7

Rights

dc:rights
Statement dc:rights
  • In Copyright

Identifiers

dc:identifier.*
Dc Identifier Other
etd-09182006-091123
OAI identifier oai:identifier
oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/29014

Chain of custody

source
Harvested from
Virginia Tech
Base URL
vtechworks.lib.vt.edu/oai/request
Last updated
2026-07-22
Source record
OAI-PMH GetRecord
citation

Minton, Mary Amanda. Reactions of Halogenated Ethylenes on the α-Cr₂O₃ (101̅2) Surface. doctoral thesis, Virginia Tech, 2006. http://hdl.handle.net/10919/29014