Acetylene decomposition on Rh(100): theory and experiment

The decomposition of acetylene on a Rh(100) single crystal was studied by a combination of experimental techniques [static secondary ion mass spectrometry (SSIMS), temperature-programmed desorption (TPD), and low-energy electron diffraction (LEED)] to gain insight into the reaction pathway and the nature of the reaction intermediates. The experimental techniques were combined with a computational approach using density functional theory (DFT). Acetylene adsorbs irreversibly on the Rh(100) surface and eventually decomposes to atomic carbon and gas-phase hydrogen. The combination of experimental and computational results enabled us to determine the most likely reaction pathway for the decomposition process.