Catalytic Degradation of a Chemical Warfare Agent Simulant

Apr 23, 2008 - particularly phosphorus, tend to poison the catalyst.14,16,17 In addition, the ... dress the limitations of pure TiO2, since Au has bee...
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7496

J. Phys. Chem. C 2008, 112, 7496-7502

Catalytic Degradation of a Chemical Warfare Agent Simulant: Reaction Mechanisms on TiO2-Supported Au Nanoparticles Dimitar A. Panayotov† and John R. Morris* Department of Chemistry, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia 24061 ReceiVed: December 18, 2007; In Final Form: February 25, 2008

High-vacuum transmission infrared spectroscopy is used to investigate the reaction pathways of the chemical warfare agent simulant dimethyl methylphosphonate (DMMP) on nanoparticulate Au/TiO2 and pure TiO2. The infrared spectral signature of adsorbed CO, a major reaction product, is used to track the oxidation state of Au and Ti during the reaction. We find that small,