Physicochemical Mechanistic Studies on Photocatalysis–Extension of Semiconductor Photoelectrochemistry Concept beyond Its Limitation

Abstract

Heterogeneous photocatalysis, as well as photoelectrochemical reaction, with semiconductor materials has been interpreted and discussed using so-called “band-structure model” as a leading principle since the 1970’s. However, this band-structure model shows only thermodynamics of photocatalytic reactions and no kinetic information is available. Furthermore, the model does not reflect the surface and size of photocatalyst materials, since band structure is of bulk, and thereby the photocatalyst materials are not identified. In this review, works by a group of the present author on physicochemical mechanistic studies on multielectron transfer kinetics and energy-resolved distribution of electron traps to go beyond the band-structure model is introduced.