The role of surface and subsurface defects in the adsorption of oxygen and the adhesion of metals on TiO2(110)

TY - BOOK

T1 - The role of surface and subsurface defects in the adsorption of oxygen and the adhesion of metals on TiO2(110)

AU - Salazar, Estephania Lira

PY - 2011/2/1

Y1 - 2011/2/1

N2 - Titanium dioxide (TiO2) is a material of great technological importance due to its use in dye-sensitized solar cells, gas sensors, heterogeneous catalysis and photocatalysis. In the work described in this thesis, scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) was used to study fundamental processes occurring at the surface of TiO2 with a particular focus on the roles of various defects in these processes. Specifically, the interaction of oxygen (O2) with TiO2(110) surfaces was investigated and it is revealed that charge donors in the near-surface region play a crucial role in several elementary processes. Additionally, the nucleation and growth of gold (Au) and silver (Ag) nanoclusters on TiO2(110) were investigated. It is shown that oxygen-rich defects stabilize small metal clusters and that these small metal clusters exhibit sites with distinct chemical properties.

AB - Titanium dioxide (TiO2) is a material of great technological importance due to its use in dye-sensitized solar cells, gas sensors, heterogeneous catalysis and photocatalysis. In the work described in this thesis, scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) was used to study fundamental processes occurring at the surface of TiO2 with a particular focus on the roles of various defects in these processes. Specifically, the interaction of oxygen (O2) with TiO2(110) surfaces was investigated and it is revealed that charge donors in the near-surface region play a crucial role in several elementary processes. Additionally, the nucleation and growth of gold (Au) and silver (Ag) nanoclusters on TiO2(110) were investigated. It is shown that oxygen-rich defects stabilize small metal clusters and that these small metal clusters exhibit sites with distinct chemical properties.

KW - TiO2

KW - oxygen

KW - STM

M3 - Ph.D. thesis

BT - The role of surface and subsurface defects in the adsorption of oxygen and the adhesion of metals on TiO2(110)

ER -