Liu, B;
Wu, H;
Parkin, IP;
(2020)
New Insights into the Fundamental Principle of Semiconductor Photocatalysis.
ACS OMEGA
, 5
(24)
pp. 14847-14856.
10.1021/acsomega.0c02145.
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Abstract
Although photocatalysis has been studied for many years as an attractive way to resolve energy and environmental problems, its principle still remains unclear. Some confusions and misunderstandings exist in photocatalytic studies. This research aims to elaborate some new thoughts on the fundamental principle of semiconductor photocatalysis. Starting from the basic laws of thermodynamics, we first defined the thermodynamic potential of photocatalysis. A concept, the Gibbs potential landscape, was thus then proposed to describe the kinetics of photocatalysis. Photocatalysis is therefore defined as a light-driven chemical reaction that still needs heat activation, in that light and heat play their different roles and interact with each other. Photocatalysis should feature an activation energy functioning with both light and heat. The roles of light and heat are correlative and mutually inhibit at both levels of thermodynamics and kinetics, so it is impossible for an intrinsic light–heat synergism to happen. Two criteria were further proposed to determine an intrinsic light–heat synergism in photocatalysis. Experiments were also carried out to calculate the thermodynamic potential and can agree well with the theory. Experimental results proved that there is no intrinsic light–heat synergism, in accordance with our theoretical prediction. This research clarified some misunderstandings and gained some new insights into the nature of photocatalysis; this is important for the discipline of semiconductor photocatalysis.
| Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Title: | New Insights into the Fundamental Principle of Semiconductor Photocatalysis |
| Open access status: | An open access version is available from UCL Discovery |
| DOI: | 10.1021/acsomega.0c02145 |
| Publisher version: | https://doi.org/10.1021/acsomega.0c02145 |
| Language: | English |
| Additional information: | This is an open access article published under an ACS AuthorChoice License, which permits copying and redistribution of the article or any adaptations for non-commercial purposes. |
| Keywords: | Science & Technology, Physical Sciences, Chemistry, Multidisciplinary, Chemistry, TIO2 PHOTOCATALYSIS, HETEROGENEOUS PHOTOCATALYSIS, NANO-TIO2 PHOTOCATALYSIS, ELECTRON-TRANSFER, TITANIUM-DIOXIDE, GASEOUS BENZENE, LOW-TEMPERATURE, DOPED TIO2, LIGHT, MECHANISMS |
| UCL classification: | UCL UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL BEAMS UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL BEAMS > Faculty of Maths and Physical Sciences |
| URI: | https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10105692 |
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