Physical and chemical adsorption of methanol and ethanol on the
hydroxylated chromium oxide surface
was studied. Surface hydroxyls were classified into three groups
according to their reactivity with alcohols.
Both methanol and ethanol are physisorbed on the first group
surface hydroxyls which can be adsorption
sites for H2O molecules giving rise to the two-dimensional
(2D) condensation. The second ones are active
hydroxyls for H2O adsorption and also are reactive with
alcohol adsorption to give surface alkoxides. The
third one is inactive to both alcohol and H2O adsorptions.
Upon heating, chemisorbed alcohols are desorbed
at first as molecules by recombination of alkoxyls and hydroxyls.
Surface reactions occurred to give the
dimethyl ether and ethylene from surface methoxide. Molecular
ethanol is desorbed from the surface
ethoxide as in the case from surface methoxide. Ejection of
ethylene is remarkable after molecular ethanol
desorption. Butene and its fragments are observed in a desorbed
gas with molecular methanol, indicating
that a combination reaction of decomposition products occurs on the
chromium oxide surface.