Surface X-ray diffraction study and photocatalytic activity of HF-treated single crystal rutile TiO2(001) surface

Significance Statement

In general the photocatalytic activity of titanium dioxide is explained in terms of the band gap energy of the material.  However, this is not the only thing we should consider when we study photocatalyst.  Since the photocatalytic activity takes place at the surface of titanium dioxide, the surface structure and/or the surface condition of the oxide may play an important role.  This study proves that this is true.

Journal Reference

Ionics, September 2015, Volume 21, Issue 9, pp 2495-2501 

Yasuro Ikuma 1,  Seiya Ogoe1,  Masahiro Mitsugi1,  Koichi Niwa1,  Srinivasan Anandan2, Eiji Yamauchi, Hiroo Tajiri3, Osami Sakata3

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  1. Kanagawa Institute of Technology, Shimoogino, Atsugi, Kanagawa, 243-0292, Japan
  2. International Advanced Research Centre for Powder Metallurgy and New Materials (ARCI), Hyderabad, 500005, India
  3. Japan Synchrotron Radiation Research Institute (JASRI), Sayo, Hyogo, 679-5198, Japan
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Abstract

The photocatalytic activity of a hydrogen fluoride (HF)-treated rutile TiO2(001) surface for the decomposition reaction of linoleic acid was lower than that of an as-received (polished) rutile TiO2(001) surface. The surfaces of as-received TiO2(001) and HF-treated TiO2(001) were investigated using low-energy electron diffraction (LEED) and surface X-ray diffraction (SXRD) to elucidate differences in their photocatalytic activities. The as-received (polished) surface did not yield good LEED patterns, which implied that the surface was not well-ordered and was thus not examined using SXRD. In contrast, the HF-treated surface produced good LEED patterns with a 1 × 1 structure and was thus studied using SXRD. The analysis of crystal truncation rods indicated that all atoms in the four layers of the surface moved toward the bulk and that the HF-treated surface was (101)-faceted with terraces. On average, the facet was found to be four layers deep. The difference in the condition of the surface influences the photocatalytic activity of the surface.

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