A photoemission study of the SO2 adsorption on TiO2 (110) surfaces

We have investigated the adsorption of the SO2 molecule on a TiO2(110) sing le crystal at a substrate temperature of 120 K by means of core level synch rotron radiation photoemission. By studying the S 2p and O 2s core level pe aks, we show that from the first adsorption stages up to the saturation cov erage, SO2 adsorbs molecularly on the TiO2(110)-(1 x 1) surface forming a s ulphite-sulphate-like mixed and disordered adsorbed layer. The bridge oxyge n atoms of the clean surface are involved in the oxidation of the molecule. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.