Quantum chemical modeling of orthophosphoric acid adsorption sites on hydrated anatase surface

Quantum chemical modeling of orthophosphoric acid adsorption sites on the hydrated surface of anatase was performed by the method of density functional theory (exchange-correlation functional PBE0, basis set 6-31 G(d,p)). The influence of the aqueous medium was taken into account within the framework of the continual solvent model. The work uses a cluster approach. The anatase surface is simulated by a neutral Ti(OH)4(H2O)2 cluster. The results of analysis of the geometry and energy characteristics of all the calculated complexes show that the highest interaction energy is inherent to the intermolecular complex of orthophosphoric acid and hydrated surface of anatase, where the oxygen atom of the phosphoryl group О=Р≡ forms a hydrogen bond with a hydrogen atom of the coordinated water molecule of Ti(OH)4(H2O)2 cluster and two hydrogen atoms of the hydroxyl groups of the orthophosphoric acid molecule form two hydrogen bonds with two oxygen atoms of the titanol groups. The formation energy effect of this complex is -134.0 kJ/mol. The formation energy effect of the complex with separated charges by the proton transfer from the molecule H3PO4 to the Ti(OH)4(H2O)2 cluster with the formation of dihydrogen phosphate anion and the protonated form of the titanol group (º) is -131.1 kJ/mol, so indicating less thermodynamic probability of such intermolecular interaction. The smallest thermodynamic probability (-123.9 kJ/mol) of complexation between orthophosphoric acid and hydrated anatase surface where a water molecule moves from the coordination sphere of the titanium atom. The calculation results indicate a possible adsorption of the H3PO4 molecule in an aqueous solution on the hydrated anatase surface. Taking into account the effect of the solvent within the polarization continuum insignificantly changes the adsorption energy, which is -44.5 kJ/mol; for vacuum conditions this value is -49.0 kJ/mol.