Complex surface engineering meets simple and beautiful surface chemistry

• 作者: Weixin Huang
• 来源期刊: 中国科学：化学（英文版）
• 年，卷（期）: 2021,（2）
• 所属期刊栏目: HIGHLIGHTS
• 页码范围: 167-168
• 页数: 2页
• 语种: 英文

摘要

Surface chemistry of solids is the fundamental for processes on solid surfaces and properties of solid surfaces,such as heterogeneous catalysis,electrochemistry,corrosion,thin film growth,sensing,friction and lubrication[1].Under-standing surface chemistry of solids is not only of great scientific interest,but also of important technological value for optimizing surface properties and processes.Due to the complexity of solid surface structures,it is challenging to unambiguously elucidate the surface chemistry of surface properties and processes at a molecular level.For example,catalytic CO oxidation to CO2,a simple chemical reaction,has exhibited complex reaction mechanisms far more than expected[2].However,there also exist surface properties and processes of solids whose surface chemistry turns out to be simple and beautiful.For example,due to the high affinity for carboxylic acids via their bidentate binding,the surface of TiO2 exposed to air and solution was found to selectively adsorb atmospheric carboxylic acids that are typically pre-sent in parts-per-billion concentrations while to effectively repel other adsorbates,such as alcohols,that are present in much higher concentrations[3].The resulting self-as-sembled carboxylate monolayers have the unusual property of being both hydrophobic and highly water-soluble,which may contribute to the self-cleaning properties of TiO2.