Stepwise Photocatalytic Dissociation of Methanol and Water on TiO2(110)

We have investigated the photocatalysis of partially deuterated methanol (CD3OH) and H2O on TiO2(110) at 400 nm using a newly developed photocatalysis apparatus in combination with theoretical calculations. Photocatalyzed products, CD2O on Ti-sc sites, and H and D atoms on bridge-bonded oxygen (BBO) sites from CD3OH have been clearly detected, while no evidence of H2O photocatalysis was found. The experimental results show that dissociation of CD3OH on TiO2(110) occurs in a stepwise manner in which the O-H dissociation proceeds first and is then followed by C-D dissociation. Theoretical calculations indicate that the high reverse barrier to C-D recombination and the facile desorption of CD2O make photocatalytic methanol dissociation on TiO2(110) proceed efficiently. Theoretical results also reveal that the reverse reactions, i.e, O-H recombination after H2O photocatalytic dissociation on TiO2(110), may occur easily, thus inhibiting efficient photocatalytic water splitting.