Chemisorption of Ammonia on Silica

Abstract

The interaction of ammonia with silicas prepared by a variety of methods was studied to resolve conflicting reports of the mode of ammonia adsorption and to determine the role of chlorine impurities (present in the silica) in the adsorption process. Results for the adsorption of water on silica assisted in making band assignments and competition between ammonia and water for silica adsorption sites was observed. It was concluded that dehydroxylated silicas contain sites which dissociate ammonia to form Si—NH2 groups having infrared bands at 3540, 3450, and 1550 cm−1 (the surface amine groups are not displaced by added water). The presence of chlorine in the silica is not a prerequisite for chemisorption of ammonia.