In Situ Characterization Techniques Applied in Photocatalysis: A Review

Photocatalysis, as one of the hopeful technologies to overcome the issues of energy shortage and environmental pollution, has increasingly attracted attention. In situ characterization technology, which can observe the dynamic changes of catalysts in photocatalytic reaction in real time, plays a crucial part in the development of designing highly efficient photocatalysts and investigating their mechanism. This review introduces and summarizes primary applications of in situ characterization techniques in photocatalysis, including in situ investigation of the morphology and chemical structure of photocatalysts, photogenerated charges transfer, spatial distribution, and surface reaction pathways. Suggestions for future development of in situ characterization techniques in photocatalysis have prospected at the end.

Automated summary

Photocatalysis is a hopeful technology for addressing energy shortage and environmental pollution, and the in situ characterization technology enables real-time observation of dynamic changes in catalysts during photocatalytic reactions, facilitating the development of efficient photocatalysts and investigation of their mechanisms. This review introduces and summarizes the primary applications of in situ characterization techniques in photocatalysis, including the in situ investigation of photocatalyst morphology and chemical structure, photogenerated charge transfer, spatial distribution, and surface reaction pathways. Future developments of in situ characterization techniques in photocatalysis are suggested.