OBSERVATION OF THE V2O5(001) SURFACE USING AMBIENT ATOMIC-FORCE MICROSCOPY

Constant force images of the V2O5(001) surface were recorded in ambien t conditions with atomic force microscopy. All images exhibit the 11.5 Angstrom x 3.5 Angstrom. periodicity expected for a bulk terminated s urface. However, images reveal differences from the ideal structure. T he experimental results are interpreted in terms of preferential adsor ption sites for water molecules. Because these sites are thought to in fluence the catalytic properties of the surface, their characterizatio n is an important step towards understanding how the atomic-scale stru cture of a surface influences its properties.