Adducing Knowledge Capabilities of Instrumental Techniques Through the Exploration of Heterostructures' Modification Methods.

The ongoing evolution of technology has facilitated the global research community to rapidly escalate the constant development of novel advancements in science. At the forefront of such achievements in the field of photocatalysis is the utilisation, and in oftentimes, the adaptation of modern instrumentation to understand photo-physical properties of complex heterostructures. For example, coupling in-situ X-ray Raman scattering spectroscopy for real-time degradation of catalytic materials.

Enhancing the photo-efficacy of an organic visible-light-activated chromophore (alizarin red S) on zinc oxide with a Ag-Na electrolyte to photo-transform aromatic and aliphatic alcohols.

The development of an aqueous silver-sodium/alizarin red sensitised zinc oxide system has been reported to oxidise a range of both aromatic and aliphatic alcohols to aldehydes. Furthermore, photoluminescence spectroscopy validated the electron quenching effect of zinc oxide's defect sites after surface sensitising the metal-oxide with alizarin red. Powder diffuse reflectance UV/Vis data further substantiated the visible-light attenuated properties of alizarin red sensitised zinc oxide, and hence justification for its visible light reactivity towards alcohol oxidations. Lastly, density functional theory calculations supported the intermolecular photo-electronic transfer between alizarin red organic and zinc oxide.