USE OF ISOTOPIC LABELING IN A SIMS STUDY OF THE HYDROXYLATION OF TIO2(100) SURFACES

The interaction of TiO2(100) surfaces with hydrogen and water vapour has been studied using mainly secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS). The influence of the stoichiometry of the surface on its reactivity has been checked. The existence of two kinds of hydroxyl groups is pointed out. The behaviour of these hydroxyl populations with the temperature was studied. Moreover the ability of SIMS to distinguish different isotopes of the same element was used: exposure of TiO2(100) surfaces to isotope labelled molecules, D2 and (H2O)-O-18, was performed in order to specify the nature of these two hydroxyl groups.