Abstract
We have investigated the adsorption and decomposition of formic acid on the non-stoichiometric TiO 2(110) surface using sequential scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) imaging at variable temperature. Formic acid adsorption on the surface displaying the cross-linked (1×2) reconstruction shows no ordered structures upon adsorption at room temperature. The added rows of the reconstructed surface appear disrupted or obscured. Upon ramping the temperature to 673 K the (1×2) reconstruction becomes visible and small islands of (1×1) termination grow within the (1×2) terraces. This behaviour is reminiscent of the (1×2) surface reacting with O 2 at elevated temperature. We attribute the formation of the (1×1) islands to the decomposition of the formate and insertion of an oxygen atom into the lattice as the surface re-oxidises. The growth of the surface implies interstitial Ti ions, diffusing out from the bulk, react with either an intact formate molecule or its decomposition product to form the new TiO 2 surface.
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