Nano-TiO2-Catalyzed Dehydrochlorination of 1,1,2,2-Tetrachloroethane: Roles of Crystalline Phase and Exposed Facets

Nanoscale titanium dioxide (nTiO2) is one of the most widely used metal oxide nanomaterials. Once released into the environment, nTiO2 may catalyze abiotic transformation of contaminants and consequently affect their fate and effects. Here, we show that the overall catalytic efficiency of nTiO2 for the dehydrochlorination reaction of 1,1,2,2-tetrachloroethane, a commonly used solvent, depends on the crystalline phase and exposed facets of nTiO2, which significantly affect the adsorption capacity and surface catalytic activity of nTiO2. Specifically, under all three pH conditions tested (7.0, 7.5 and 8.0), the overall catalytic efficiency of eight nTiO2 materials (as indicated by the surface-area-normalized reaction kinetic constants) followed the order of rutile > anatase > TiO2(B). For anatase and TiO2(B) materials, the overall catalytic efficiency increased with the increasing percentage of exposed {001} and {010} facets, respectively. Crystalline phase and exposed facets significantly affected adsorption affinities of nTiO2, likely by modulating surface hydrophobicity of nTiO2. Crystalline phase and exposed facets also determined the activity of surface catalytic sites on nTiO2 by dictating the concentration and strength of surface unsaturated Ti atoms, as the deprotonated hydroxyl groups chemisorbed to these reactive Ti atoms served as bases to catalyze the base-promoted reaction.