title: Unravelling Site-Specific Photo-Reactions of Ethanol on Rutile TiO2(110).
abstract: Finding the active sites of catalysts and photo-catalysts is crucial for an improved fundamental understanding and the development of efficient catalytic systems. Here we have studied the photo-activated dehydrogenation of ethanol on reduced and oxidized rutile TiO2(110) in ultrahigh vacuum conditions. Utilizing scanning tunnelling microscopy, various spectroscopic techniques and theoretical calculations we found that the photo-reaction proceeds most efficiently when the reactants are adsorbed on regular Ti surface sites, whereas species that are strongly adsorbed at surface defects such as O vacancies and step edges show little reaction under reducing conditions. We propose that regular Ti surface sites are the most active sites in photo-reactions on TiO2.
authors.affiliation: Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Center (iNANO), Department of Physics and Astronomy, and Institute for Storage Ring Facilities (ISA), Aarhus University, DK-8000 Aarhus C, Denmark.
authors.forename: Jonas Ø
authors.initials: JØ
authors.lastname: Hansen
authors.affiliation: Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Center (iNANO), Department of Physics and Astronomy, and Institute for Storage Ring Facilities (ISA), Aarhus University, DK-8000 Aarhus C, Denmark.
authors.forename: Regine
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bebensee
authors.affiliation: Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Center (iNANO), Department of Physics and Astronomy, and Institute for Storage Ring Facilities (ISA), Aarhus University, DK-8000 Aarhus C, Denmark.
authors.forename: Umberto
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Martinez
authors.affiliation: Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Center (iNANO), Department of Physics and Astronomy, and Institute for Storage Ring Facilities (ISA), Aarhus University, DK-8000 Aarhus C, Denmark.
authors.forename: Soeren
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Porsgaard
authors.affiliation: Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Center (iNANO), Department of Physics and Astronomy, and Institute for Storage Ring Facilities (ISA), Aarhus University, DK-8000 Aarhus C, Denmark.
authors.forename: Estephania
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Lira
authors.affiliation: Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Center (iNANO), Department of Physics and Astronomy, and Institute for Storage Ring Facilities (ISA), Aarhus University, DK-8000 Aarhus C, Denmark.
authors.forename: Yinying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wei
authors.affiliation: Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Center (iNANO), Department of Physics and Astronomy, and Institute for Storage Ring Facilities (ISA), Aarhus University, DK-8000 Aarhus C, Denmark.
authors.forename: Lutz
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lammich
authors.affiliation: Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Center (iNANO), Department of Physics and Astronomy, and Institute for Storage Ring Facilities (ISA), Aarhus University, DK-8000 Aarhus C, Denmark.
authors.forename: Zheshen
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: SABIC-Centre for Research and Development (CRD) at KAUST, P.O. Box 4545-4700, Thuwal 23955, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Hicham
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Idriss
authors.affiliation: Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Center (iNANO), Department of Physics and Astronomy, and Institute for Storage Ring Facilities (ISA), Aarhus University, DK-8000 Aarhus C, Denmark.
authors.forename: Flemming
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Besenbacher
authors.affiliation: Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Center (iNANO), Department of Physics and Astronomy, and Institute for Storage Ring Facilities (ISA), Aarhus University, DK-8000 Aarhus C, Denmark.
authors.forename: Bjørk
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Hammer
authors.affiliation: Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Center (iNANO), Department of Physics and Astronomy, and Institute for Storage Ring Facilities (ISA), Aarhus University, DK-8000 Aarhus C, Denmark.
authors.forename: Stefan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wendt