Atomic structure of titania nanosheet with vacancies.

Titania nanosheets are two-dimensional single crystallites of titanium oxide with a thickness of one titanium or two oxygen atoms, and they show attractive material properties, such as photocatalytic reactions. Since a titania (Ti₀.₈₇O₂) nanosheet is synthesized by the delamination of a parent layered K₀.₈Ti₁.₇₃Li₀.₂₇O₄ crystal using a soft chemical procedure, substantial Ti vacancies are expected to be included and affect the material properties. The atomic arrangement of a titania nanosheet with vacancies has not been revealed owing to the difficulties of direct observation. Here, we have directly visualized the atomic arrangement and Ti vacancies of a titania nanosheet using advanced lower-voltage transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Analyses of the results of first-principles calculations and TEM image simulations for various Ti vacancy structure models indicate that two particular oxygen atoms around each Ti vacancy are desorbed, suggesting the sites where atomic reduction first occurs.