Surface reorganization accompanying the formation of sulfite and sulfate by reaction of sulfur dioxide with oxygen on Ag111.

On the Ag(111)-p(4x4)-O surface SO2(g) reacts with oxygen according to SO2(g)+O(a)-->SO3(a). Sulfite forms in a (2 radical3x2 radical3)R30 degrees structure. The restructuring of the surface atoms during sulfite formation is indicative of the deconstruction of the p(4x4)-O structure. Heating the sulfite-covered surface to 700 K affects the disproportionation of SO3 to SO4 in a (4 square root of 3 x square root of 3)R30 degrees structure accompanied by the desorption of SO2(g) and smoothing of the surface. Continued heating beyond 700 K affects the complete decomposition of sulfate to SO2(g) and O2(g).