Mechanism of Ammonia Decomposition on Tungsten; NH3 and ND3 Isotope Effect

Light and heavy ammonia were decomposed on a clean tungsten foil at 973—1123 K and at PNH3,ND3 ^ 0.2 Torr. The nitrogen uptake and the kinetics of the formation of nitride layers were examined during the course of the reaction. The amount of nitrogen chemisorbed (or the thickness of the nitride layers formed) at higher pressures was found to be appreciably larger from NH3 than from ND3. Addition of hydrogen had no effect on the thickness of the nitride layer nor on the rate of ammonia decomposition. These facts support the concept of a dynamic balance between two consecutive rate determining steps: supply of chemisorbed nitrogen from ammonia into the surface and consumption of the chemisorbed nitrogen through its desorption from the surface to form nitrogen molecules.