Humidity effects on (001) BaTiO3 single crystal surface water adsorption

Water adsorption on (001) BaTiO3 single crystal surface under varying relative humidity conditions was studied by ab initio calculations and scanning probe microscopy utilizing different operation modes. At 95% relative humidity water droplets nucleated only on c domains, preferential adsorption location for water dipoles. BaTiO3 (001) surface long 65% relative humidity exposure lead to no contrast between a and c domains observed by electrostatic force microscopy. Ab initio calculations confirm that water molecules prefer to adsorb on c domains due to their higher surface energy.