Publication detail

High-affinity adsorption leads to molecularly ordered interfaces on TiO2 in air and solution

BALAJKA, J. HINES, M. DEBENEDETTI, W. KOMORA, M. PAVELEC, J. SCHMID, M. DIEBOLD, U.

Original Title

High-affinity adsorption leads to molecularly ordered interfaces on TiO2 in air and solution

Type

journal article in Web of Science

Language

English

Original Abstract

Researchers around the world have observed the formation of molecularly ordered structures of unknown origin on the surface of titanium dioxide (TiO2) photocatalysts exposed to air and solution. Using a combination of atomic-scale microscopy and spectroscopy, we show that TiO2 selectively adsorbs atmospheric carboxylic acids that are typically present in parts-per-billion concentrations while effectively repelling other adsorbates, such as alcohols, that are present in much higher concentrations. The high affinity of the surface for carboxylic acids is attributed to their bidentate binding. These self-assembled monolayers have the unusual property of being both hydrophobic and highly water-soluble, which may contribute to the self-cleaning properties of TiO2. This finding is relevant to TiO2 photocatalysis, because the self-assembled carboxylate monolayers block the undercoordinated surface cation sites typically implicated in photocatalysis.

Keywords

TiO2; Molecular adsortion; water; STM

Authors

BALAJKA, J.; HINES, M.; DEBENEDETTI, W.; KOMORA, M.; PAVELEC, J.; SCHMID, M.; DIEBOLD, U.

Released

24. 8. 2018

ISBN

0036-8075

Periodical

SCIENCE

Year of study

361

Number

6404

State

United States of America

Pages from

786

Pages to

789

Pages count

4

BibTex

@article{BUT149583,
  author="Jan {Balajka} and Melissa A. {Hines} and William J.I. {DeBenedetti} and Mojmír {Komora} and Jiří {Pavelec} and Michael {Schmid} and Ulrike {Diebold}",
  title="High-affinity adsorption leads to molecularly ordered interfaces on TiO2 in air and solution",
  journal="SCIENCE",
  year="2018",
  volume="361",
  number="6404",
  pages="786--789",
  doi="10.1126/science.aat6752",
  issn="0036-8075"
}