The adsorption and decomposition of methane on Fe/Cu(110) bimetallic surface have been studied by HREELS and ARUPS. The results show that the activation energy of dissociative chemisorption for methane is reduced obviously by preadsorption of iron on copper surface. The chemisorption probability of methane is so high on Fe/Cu(110) bimetallic surface that chemisorption of methane can be observed at room temperature and low pressure. When the iron coverage is lower than 1 ML, the chemisorption probability increases linearly with increasing iron coverage. After the iron coverage is beyond 1 ML(2ML) the probability continues increasing. The iron atom with disordered structure can offer the site of dissociative chemisorption to methane too. A hydroformyl species is formed through interaction between methane and the preadsorbed oxygen atoms. The reaction enhances the dissociative chemisorption of methane on the surface.
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