Surface reorganization accompanying the formation of sulfite and sulfate by reaction of sulfur dioxide with oxygen on Ag(111)

On the Ag(111)-p(4x4)-O surface SO2(g) reacts with oxygen according to SO2(g)+O(a) -> SO3(a). Sulfite forms in a (2 root 3x2 root 3)R30 degrees structure. The restructuring of the surface atoms during sulfite formation is indicative of the deconstruction of the p(4x4)-O structure. Heating the sulfite-covered surface to 700 K affects the disproportionation of SO3 to SO4 in a (4 root 3x root 3)R30 degrees structure accompanied by the desorption of SO2(g) and smoothing of the surface. Continued heating beyond 700 K affects the complete decomposition of sulfate to SO2(g) and O-2(g). (c) 2005 American Institute of Physics.