Understanding the adsorption and photoreaction of oxalic acid on anatase and rutile

MENDIVE C.; BREDOW T.; BLESA M. A.; BAHNEMANN D.

Ceramic Transactions

Año: 2006 vol. 193 p. 121 - 138

1042-1122

The adsorption and photoreaction of oxalic acid on the surface of TiO2 anatase nanoparticles is studied employing a combined experimental and theoretical approach. In the dark the adsorption reaches an equilibrium state as a mixture of adsorbed water and oxalic acid molecules with the latter forming two different surface complexes. When the system is illuminated with UV(A) light the surface is enriched in adsorbed oxalic acid by a replacement of the adsorbed water molecules, favouring one of the adsorbed structures