SURFACE CHEMISTRY

Dr. S.D Oladipo

• Surface chemistry deals with phenomena that occur at the surfaces or
interfaces. The interface or surface is represented by separating the
bulk phases by a hyphen or a slash. For example, the interface between
a solid and a gas may be represented by solid-gas or solid/gas.

• Many important phenomena, noticeable amongst these being corrosion,

electrode processes, heterogeneous catalysis, dissolution and crystallization
occur at interfaces. The subject of surface chemistry finds many applications
in industry, analytical work and daily life situations.

• In this topic, we will be studying important features of surface chemistry such

as adsorption and catalysis.
• Adsorption is a surface phenomenon. It is the accumulation of molecular species
at the surface rather than in the bulk of a solid or liquid. The molecular species
or substance, which concentrates at the surface is termed adsorbate and the material
on the surface of which the adsorption takes place is called adsorbent.
NOTE: Adsorption diminishes with increase in temperature.
• Absorption – is the accumulation of one substance in the entire
volume of another substance (dissolving of gases in liquids).
• Physical adsorption or physisorption takes place when the particles of
the adsorbate are held on the surface of the adsorbent by the physical forces
such as Van der Waals forces.
• Chemical adsorption or chemisorption takes place when the adsorbate are
held to the solid surface by chemical bonds. The chemical bond may be
covalent or ionic in nature.
• Both adsorption and absorption can take place simultaneously also.
The term sorption is used to describe both the processes.
Comparison of physisorption and chemisorption (contd.)
 Adsorption Isotherms
• The variation in the amount of gas adsorbed by the adsorbent with pressure
at constant temperature can be expressed by means of a curve termed as
adsorption isotherm.
• Freundlich adsorption isotherm: Freundlich, in 1909, gave an empirical
relationship between the quantity of gas adsorbed by unit mass of solid
adsorbent and pressure at a particular temperature.
• The relationship can be expressed by the following equation:

…………(equ 1)

• where x is the mass of the gas adsorbed on mass m of the adsorbent at

pressure P, k and n are constants which depend on the nature of the
adsorbent and the gas at a particular temperature.
 • The relationship is generally represented in the form
of a curve where mass of the gas adsorbed per gram of
the adsorbent is plotted against pressure

• These curves indicate that at a fixed pressure, there

is a decrease in physical adsorption with increase
in temperature. These curves always seem to approach
saturation at high pressure.

Adsorption Isotherm
Taking the logarithms of equ 1:

…………… (equ 2)

The validity of Freundlich isotherm can be verified by plotting log x on y-axis (ordinate)
m
and log p on x-axis (abscissa).
NOTE: If it comes to be a straight line, the Freundlich isotherm is valid,
otherwise not.
 • The slope of the straight line gives the value of 1
n

• The interception the y-axis gives the value of log k.

• The factor 1 can have values between

n
0 and 1 (probable range 0.1 to 0.5).

Freundlich Isotherm

• The experimental isotherms always seem to approach saturation at high pressure.

This cannot be explained by Freundlich isotherm. Thus, it fails at high pressure.
 Adsorption from solution phase
• Solids can adsorb solutes from solutions also. When a solution of acetic acid in water
is shaken with charcoal, a part of the acid is adsorbed by the charcoal and the
Concentration of the acid decreases in the solution.

• The following observations have been made in the case of adsorption from
solution phase:
❖ The extent of adsorption decreases with an increase in temperature.
❖ The extent of adsorption increases with an increase of surface area
of the adsorbent.
❖ The extent of adsorption depends on the concentration of the solute
in solution.
❖ The extent of adsorption depends on the nature of the adsorbent
and the adsorbate.
NOTE: The precise mechanism of adsorption from solution is not known.
 Adsorption from solution phase (contd.)

• Freundlich’s equation approximately describes the behaviour of adsorption fro

solution with a difference that instead of pressure, concentration of the solution
is taken into account, i.e.

• (C is the equilibrium concentration, i.e., when adsorption is complete).

On taking logarithm of the above equation, we have:

• Plotting log x against log C a straight line is obtained which shows the
m
validity of Freundlich isotherm.
 APPLICATION OF ADSORPTION

The phenomenon of adsorption finds a number of applications. Important ones

are listed here:

❖ Production of high vacuum

❖ Gas masks:
❖ Control of humidity:
❖ Removal of colouring matter from solutions:
❖ Heterogeneous catalysis:
❖ Separation of inert gases:
❖ In curing diseases:
❖ Froth floatation process:
❖ Adsorption indicators:
❖ Chromatographic analysis:
 CATALYSIS
• A catalyst increases the rate of reaction by
providing an alternative mechanism which
has a lower Ea.

• O3 (g) + O (g) → 2 O2 (g)

• Catalyzed destruction of
ozone by Cl in the upper
atmosphere.
 Promoters and Poisons
• Promoters are substances that enhance the activity of a catalyst while
poisons decrease the activity of a catalyst.
• For example, in Haber’s process for manufacture of ammonia,
molybdenum acts as a promoter for iron which is used as a catalyst.
 Homogeneous and Heterogeneous Catalysis

• Homogeneous Catalyst: Catalyst is in the same phase as the reactants.

For example, catalytic destruction of O3 by Cl in the upper atmosphere.

• Heterogeneous Catalyst: Catalyst is in the different phase as the reactants.

For example, catalytic converter in cars – gas and solid phase.
Also, hydrogenation of oils (adding H to C=C) – gas and liquid phase
Some industrial catalytic processes