TY - JOUR
T1 - Proton-Coupled Defects Impact O-H Bond Dissociation Free Energies on Metal Oxide Surfaces
AU - Warburton, Robert E.
AU - Mayer, James M.
AU - Hammes-Schiffer, Sharon
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2021 American Chemical Society.
PY - 2021/10/14
Y1 - 2021/10/14
N2 - Proton-coupled electron transfer (PCET) reactions on metal oxides require coupling between proton transfer at the solid-liquid interface and electron transfer involving defects at or near the band edge. Herein, hybrid functional periodic density functional theory is used to elucidate the impact of proton-coupled defects on the bond dissociation free energies (BDFEs) of O-H bonds on anatase TiO2 surfaces. These O-H BDFEs are directly related to interfacial PCET thermochemistry. Comparison between geometrically similar O-H bonds associated with different defect types, namely conduction d-band electrons or valence p-band holes, reveals that the BDFEs differ by ∼81 kcal/mol (3.50 eV), comparable to the wide TiO2 band gap. These differences are shown to be determined primarily by differences in electron transfer driving forces, which are analyzed by using band energies and inner-sphere reorganization energies within a Marcus theory framework. These fundamental insights about the impact of proton-coupled defects on PCET thermochemistry at semiconductor surfaces have broad implications for electrocatalysis.
AB - Proton-coupled electron transfer (PCET) reactions on metal oxides require coupling between proton transfer at the solid-liquid interface and electron transfer involving defects at or near the band edge. Herein, hybrid functional periodic density functional theory is used to elucidate the impact of proton-coupled defects on the bond dissociation free energies (BDFEs) of O-H bonds on anatase TiO2 surfaces. These O-H BDFEs are directly related to interfacial PCET thermochemistry. Comparison between geometrically similar O-H bonds associated with different defect types, namely conduction d-band electrons or valence p-band holes, reveals that the BDFEs differ by ∼81 kcal/mol (3.50 eV), comparable to the wide TiO2 band gap. These differences are shown to be determined primarily by differences in electron transfer driving forces, which are analyzed by using band energies and inner-sphere reorganization energies within a Marcus theory framework. These fundamental insights about the impact of proton-coupled defects on PCET thermochemistry at semiconductor surfaces have broad implications for electrocatalysis.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85117192497&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85117192497&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1021/acs.jpclett.1c02837
DO - 10.1021/acs.jpclett.1c02837
M3 - Article
C2 - 34595925
AN - SCOPUS:85117192497
SN - 1948-7185
VL - 12
SP - 9761
EP - 9767
JO - Journal of Physical Chemistry Letters
JF - Journal of Physical Chemistry Letters
IS - 40
ER -