TiO 2 anatase (001) surface has been indicated for many years as a potential system for water dissociation and hydrogen production. Surface reconstruction periodicity of TiO 2 anatase (001) in water is revised on the basis of the new water induced reconstruction model that accounts for dissociative water adsorption in the first monolayer and self-assembling of surface hydroxyls. The study has been performed in the context of first principles total energy calculations on the basis of state of

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... art Density Functional Theory. Different surface periodical structures have been studied and compared in terms of residual surface stress and surface reactivity. While a preference seems to emerge for the (2 × 3) surface reconstruction, there are indications that this configuration might not occur spontaneously in bulk water.