In the field of
physical chemistry
Physical chemistry is the study of macroscopic and microscopic phenomena in chemical systems in terms of the principles, practices, and concepts of physics such as motion, energy, force, time, thermodynamics, quantum chemistry, statistica ...
, a nonthermal surface reaction refers to an elementary reaction between a thermally accommodated adsorbed surface species and a reactant which has not yet thermally accommodated to the surface.
The two main mechanisms classified as nonthermal are the
Eley-Rideal and
hot atom mediated mechanisms.
Surface science
{{physical-chemistry-stub