Single-molecule, single-particle fluorescence imaging of TiO2-based photocatalytic reactions

Abstract

Nanostructured metal oxide semiconductors, such as TiO₂ and ZnO, have attracted great attention as the promising material for photovoltaic devices, photocatalysts for water splitting and environmental purification, sensors, batteries, etc. In this critical review, we have focused on the on-site observation of interfacial chemical reactions involving charge carriers and reactive oxygen species (ROS), such as singlet oxygen and the hydroxyl radical, generated by the photoexcitation of TiO₂ nanoparticles using single-molecule, single-particle fluorescence spectroscopy. Advanced fluorescence imaging techniques enable us to determine the location of the photocatalytically active sites that are closely related to the defects heterogeneously distributed on the surface. Consequently, this review provides a great opportunity to understand the temporal and spatial heterogeneities within an individual catalyst particle, allowing for the potential use of single-molecule, single-particle approaches in the analysis of photocatalytic reactions (189 references).