Infra-red study of the surface properties of rutile. Adsorption of ethanol, n-butanol and n-hexanol

Abstract

The vapours of ethanol, n-butanol and n-hexanol chemisorb at room temperature on a variety of rutile surfaces. The adsorption is independent of the nature of the surface, and an estimate of the ethoxide population is 3 groups/nm². Thermal decomposition of all three alkoxides was complete at 300°C producing surface carbonate species, with water and the respective alk-1-ene in the gas phase. A mechanism is proposed for the formation of the alk-1-ene.