Observation of TiO2 microcrystallite powder by scanning tunneling microscope

The surface structure of microcrystallites of practical photocatalyst was o bserved in atomic scale by scanning tunneling microscope (STM). We found th at the structure of microcrystallites take variety of shapes and have many steps and point defects on their solid surfaces. The attribute of some micr ocrystallites could be distinguished between anatase and ruble by comparing the interval of the atomic rows on the surfaces. This is the first time th at the obvious atomic rows were observed on anatase surface by STM. (C) 200 1 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.