A combined laboratory and synchrotron in-situ photoemission study of the rutile TiO2 (110) / water interface

DOI: 10.1088/1361-6463/abddfb

Authors: Conor Byrne (University of Manchester) , Khadisha Marie Zahra (University of Manchester) , Simran Dhaliwal (University College London; Diamond Light Source) , David C. Grinter (Diamond Light Source) , Kanak Roy (Diamond Light Source) , Wilson Garzon (Diamond Light Source) , Georg Held (Diamond Light Source) , Geoff Thornton (University College London) , Alex Walton (University of Manchester)
Co-authored by industrial partner: No

Type: Journal Paper
Journal: Journal Of Physics D: Applied Physics

State: Published (Approved)
Published: January 2021
Diamond Proposal Number(s): 23855

Abstract: In-situ analysis of the TiO2 / water interface via NAP-XPS is demonstrated in both a lab based system (NAP-cell configuration) and synchrotron endstation (backfill configuration). Ultra-thin wetting layers (UTWL) of liquid water (~10 nm) are formed on a rutile TiO2 surface with minimal contamination present in addition to unique insight during the growth of the liquid films as indicated via NAP-XPS, in-situ sample temperature and background vapour pressure monitoring. Chemical changes at the solid / liquid interface are also demonstrated via healing of Ti3+ surface defect states. Photon depth profiling of the as grown liquid layers indicate that the formed films are ultra-thin (~10 nm) and likely to be continuous in nature. This work demonstrates a novel and flexible approach for studying the solid / liquid interface via NAP-XPS which is readily integrated with any form of NAP-XPS system, thereby making a critical interface of study available to a wide audience of researchers for use in operando electrochemical and photocatalytic research.

Journal Keywords: NAP-XPS; AP-XPS; UTWL; TiO2; Rutile; solid/liquid interface; Offset Droplet; VerSoX

Diamond Keywords: Photocatalysis

Subject Areas: Physics, Materials, Chemistry


Instruments: B07-C-Versatile Soft X-ray beamline: Ambient Pressure XPS and NEXAFS

Added On: 26/01/2021 14:43

Documents:
Byrne+et+al_2021_J._Phys._D%3A_Appl._Phys._10.1088_1361-6463_abddfb.pdf

Discipline Tags:

Surfaces Physics Physical Chemistry Catalysis Energy Materials Chemistry Materials Science interfaces and thin films Inorganic Chemistry

Technical Tags:

Spectroscopy X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) Near Ambient Pressure XPS (NAP-XPS)