Reactions of Nitrogen Monoxide on Cobalt Cluster Ions:  Reaction Enhancement by Introduction of Hydrogen

Absolute cross sections for NO chemisorption, NO decomposition, and cluster dissociation in the collision of a nitrogen monoxide molecule, NO, with cluster ions Con+ and ConH+ (n=2-5) were measured as a function of the cluster size, n, in a beam-gas geometry in a tandem mass spectrometer. Size dependency of the cross sections and the change of the cross sections by introduction of H to Con+ (effect of H-introduction) are explained by a statistical model based on the RRK theory, with the aid of the energetics obtained by a DFT calculation. It was found that the reactions are governed by the energetics rather than dynamics. For instance, Co3+ does not react appreciably with NO because the reactions are endothermic, while Co3H+ does because the reaction becomes exothermic by the H-introduction.