In-situ monitoring of dynamic behavior of catalyst materials and reaction intermediates in semiconductor catalytic processes

Abstract Semiconductor photocatalysis, as a key part of solar energy utilization, has far-reaching implications for industrial, agricultural, and commercial development. Lack of understanding of the catalyst evolution and the reaction mechanism is a critical obstacle for designing efficient and stable photocatalysts. This review summarizes the recent progress of in-situ exploring the dynamic behavior of catalyst materials and reaction intermediates. Semiconductor photocatalytic processes and two major classes of in-situ techniques that include microscopic imaging and spectroscopic characterization are presented. Finally, problems and challenges in in-situ characterization are proposed, geared toward developing more advanced in-situ techniques and monitoring more accurate and realistic reaction processes, to guide designing advanced photocatalysts.