Nitrogen oxidation on a plasma-exposed surface

S. C. L. Vervloedt; A. von Keudell

paper

Nitrogen oxidation on a plasma-exposed surface

arXiv:2505.08225

Abstract

The elementary processes during the fixation of nitrogen by plasma catalysis are studied in a low-pressure plasma experiment using N $_{2}$ and O $_{2}$ as source gases. The formation of surface groups on an iron oxide foil are monitored with infrared reflection spectroscopy. Surface nitrates (NO $_{3}$ ) are formed when the samples are exposed to a 1:1 N $_{2}$ :O $_{2}$ plasma, as well as O $_{3}$ , NO $_{2}$ , NO, and N $_{2}$ O in the gas phase. During plasma exposure, bidentate nitrates are formed. The structure of this surface group changes after plasma exposure. It is postulated that adsorption plasma created NO $_{x}$ (g) yields the formation of these NO $_{3}$ species. This constitutes an intermediate step for NO $_{x}$ formation by plasma catalysis.