To enhance the catalytic reactivity of
anatase and the efficiency of devices for solar energy conversion based on
anatase, it is critical to gain in - depth understanding and control of the reactions taking place at the surface of this material down to the atomic level.
In the future, based on the information gained from this study, the NIMS research team will conduct research on molecules of technologically relevance that adsorb on
anatase and characterize these hybrid systems by using simultaneous AFM and STM.
An international collaboration of researchers combined atomic force microscopy (AFM) and scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) to characterize
anatase titanium dixoxide.
The team characterized the (101) surface of
anatase at atomic level by means of simultaneous AFM and STM.
The research team consisting of Oscar Custance and Tomoko Shimizu, group leader and senior scientist, respectively, at the Atomic Force Probe Group, NIMS, Daisuke Fujita and Keisuke Sagisaka, group leader and senior researcher, respectively, at the Surface Characterization Group, NIMS, and scientists at Charles University in the Czech Republic, Autonomous University of Madrid in Spain, and other organizations combined simultaneous atomic force microscopy (AFM) and scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) measurements with first - principles calculations for the unambiguous identification of the atomic species at the most stable surface of
the anatase form of titanium dioxide (hereinafter referred to as anatase) and its most common defects.
Only a few research groups worldwide possess the technology to create proper test samples and to make in - situ atomic - level observations of
anatase surfaces.
It is extremely challenging to grow large single crystals of
anatase, and most of the applications of this material are in the form of nano crystals.
Using laser spectroscopic analysis, Clark and Brown found that the black ink was carbon - based and the yellow ink contained
anatase.
This material appears in different crystalline forms, but the most attractive one for applications is called «
anatase.»
The researchers detected
anatase, a rare form of titanium dioxide, solely in the yellow lines.