An x-ray photoelectron spectroscopic study of oxidation of ammonia on potassium-covered platinum surface

Oxidation of $NH_3$ was studied on clean as well as K-covered Pt surfaces by XPS. Adsorption of K on the Pt surface greatly enhances the sticking probability of $O$. The high concentration of dissociatively chemisorbed $O$ on the K-covered surface favors the formation of $NO$ from $NH_3