Much attention has been focused on the surface science of titanium dioxide (TiO2) due to its numerous scientific and industrial applications in photocatalysis, electrochemistry,active coatings,gas sensors. Among these studies, many have focused on the interaction of water and the model rutile (110) surface, due to the fundamental role of water in many of the present and potential applications of TiO2. The vast majority of experimental and theoretical understanding of the adsorption behaviour of water on TiO2(110) concerns gas phase adsorption in ultra-high vacuum (UHV) environments (<1x10-10 mbar). Recent work by our group has attempted to characterise the atomic scale structure and composition of the water interface with the 'standard' UHV prepared TiO2(110) surface using STM, surface spectroscopy and surface diffraction techniques.Slightly reduced TiO2(110) samples prepared in UHV before immersion in liquid water at room temperature were found to exhibit a 2x1 overlayer in atomic scale STM. The 2x1 periodicity of the overlayer leads to the formation of phase domains approximately 300 �2 in size. Core and valence level photoelectron spectra show the overlayer is composed solely of OH. The structure of the water-TiO2(110) interface was investigated by surface X-ray diffraction measurements for three environments: a dipped sample, a liquid cell, and an in situ vapour dose. The bestfit model for all three consists of an overlayer composed of hydroxyls bonded either atop Ti5cor in bridging sites.

Structure of the TiO<sub>2</sub>(110) interface with water

245th National Meeting (2013)

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Structure of the TiO2(110) interface with water

Structure of the TiO₂(110) interface with water