Unraveling photocatalytic CO(2) reduction mechanisms via in situ/operando characterization: From dynamic active sites to reaction pathways.

In situ/operando techniques reveal dynamic active sites and reaction pathways, advancing understanding of photocatalytic CO2 reduction with real-time insights into catalyst behavior.

• Why it matters: Understanding the complex, multi-interface reaction mechanisms is essential to overcome current limitations like low efficiency and poor selectivity in solar-driven CO2 reduction, enabling rational catalyst design.
• What they did: The review summarizes recent in-situ methods, analyzing their principles and applications across three key areas: catalyst structural evolution, charge carrier dynamics, and intermediate transformation pathways, based on over 100 studies.
• The result: These insights facilitate targeted improvements in catalyst performance, promote development of more efficient systems, and guide future research integrating multi-technique approaches and theoretical modeling.