A fast XPS study of propene decomposition over clean and sulphated Pt111

The thermal decomposition of propene over clean and sulphate precovered Pt111 has been followed by Fast XPS. The saturation propene coverage over the clean surface is 0.21 mL at 90 K. Propene is stable up to 200 K, above which molecular desorption and dehydrogenation result in the formation of a stable propylidyne intermediate adlayer at 300 K. Propylidyne decomposes above 400 K eventually forming graphitic carbon above 800 K. Preadsorbed surface sulphate promotes room temperature propene combustion associated with the decomposition of a thermally unstable alkyl-sulphate complex. Propylidyne also forms as on clean Pt111, but is less reactive, its decomposition above 450 K triggering partial oxidation with residual surface oxygen to liberate gas phase CO.