Interaction of methanol with Zr(0 0 0 1)

Abstract Interaction of methanol (CD 3 OD) with Zr(0 0 0 1) is studied by temperature programmed desorption (TPD), Auger electron spectroscopy (AES) and secondary electron emission crystal current (SEECC) methods. We find that a 10 K difference in adsorption temperature (150 K versus 160 K) alters the amount of desorbing species with no effect on desorption temperature. Higher adsorption temperature results in lower desorption yield. Regardless of adsorption temperature, methanol desorbs at ∼600 K at higher exposures, with almost no desorption at lower exposures. AES reveals a different evolution of carbon and oxygen signals during heating with carbon being left near the surface region and oxygen dissolving into the subsurface/bulk. Variations in crystal current reflect the presence of the adsorbed species.