PHASE TRANSITIONS IN MULTIMOLECULAR LAYERS OF ADSORBED NITROGEN

Abstract

The heat capacity of nitrogen adsorbed on titanium dioxide has been measured for amounts adsorbed corresponding to 2.2, 3.1, 4.0, and 4.8 molecular layers in the temperature range 14 ° to 75 °K. The occurrence in the adsorbed films of melting and of the transition in the solid phase of nitrogen is shown by maxima in the heat capacity. The melting process is completely reversible and takes place at temperatures below the normal melting point. The solid phase transition does not occur reversibly, the magnitude of the anomaly in the heat capacity depending upon the extent to which the system has been cooled prior to the measurement of the heat capacity. The experimental results are discussed in terms of current thermodynamic treatments of phase transitions in adsorbed films.