Nonequilibrium electronic phenomena and the chemical energy accommodation during heterogeneous recombination of atomic hydrogen on the manganese doped willemite

Abstract The surface chemiluminescence of Zn 2 SiO 4 -Mn phosphor ( λ max  = 525 nm) has been studied under excitation by exoergic interaction of H-atoms with its surface. We have found that the pre-irradiation of the Zn 2 SiO 4 -Mn by UV light results in the transient increase in the luminescence intensity by two orders of magnitude. On the other hand, deposition of Pd-nanoparticles on the surface leads to luminescence quenching. These two effects are associated with the energy accommodation in the gas–surface interaction via electronic channel by the filled electron traps of the insulating phosphor or by metallic electrons of the Pd-nanoparticles.