NAPTIME

The NAPTIME project focuses on instrumental and technological advancements related to the development of time-resolved Near Ambient Pressure X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (NAP-XPS), a cutting-edge technique that offers new insights into heterogeneous photocatalysis. Conventional photocatalyst development relies heavily on trial-and-error methods due to limited understanding of reaction mechanisms and catalyst dynamics. This project aims to develop novel spectroscopic methodologies to enable real-time tracking of photocatalyst behavior under operando conditions, addressing this gap. NAP-XPS provides high surface sensitivity, chemical state specificity, and operates under relevant pressures (up to ~20 mbar), making it ideal for monitoring chemical reactions and catalyst evolution in operando. By correlating gas-phase reactants, products, transient species, and the electronic structure of the photocatalyst, this project aims to capture critical reaction dynamics at millisecond-to-second timescales. We will employ both optical (laser pulse) and gas-phase perturbations to study these dynamics, using model catalysts with controlled structural parameters. Advanced multivariate statistical methods will be utilized to extract pure spectra and kinetic profiles from complex datasets. This project aligns with theme B.6, focusing on the development of innovative instrumentation and methodologies that enhance our understanding of chemical photocatalytic reaction mechanisms, with far-reaching implications for the field of heterogeneous catalysis.