Generalized Local Isotherm Approximations

The problem of evaluating the distribution function of the adsorption energy from the experimentally determined single-component adsorption isotherm is considered here. A general scheme for the development and classification of the local methods of solution of the adsorption integral equation is presented. It clearly shows the mathematical relations underlying all the local isotherm approximations developed up to now, including the affinity spectrum methods and the implicit approximations as differential equations. A new family of local approximations has been developed, which avoid the drawback of an uncorrect asymptotic behavior. The effect of lateral interactions is taken into account for both random and patchwise topography of the surface. (C) 1994 Academic Press, Inc.