ABSTRACT
Scanning electrochemical microscopy (SECM) provides an invaluable tool for both the discovery of new materials (electrocatalysts and photocatalysts) and their characterization. SECM is especially optimized for analyzing electrochemical reactions occurring on the surface of catalysts. Recent developments in Surface-Interrogation SECM (SI-SECM) enabled the detection of transient reaction intermediates with typical half lives in the microsecond time scale, allowing researchers more information about the time course of catalysis at the electrodes surface and consequent access to reaction mechanism. SECM approach allows a large number of different compositions to be screened rapidly. The screening is performed on arrays that are rapidly prepared to yield small samples of spots or lines that are of reasonably uniform, but varying composition on a substrate that has very low electrocatalytic properties. Utilization of sunlight to produce chemical energy has led to increased activity in the area of photoelectrochemistry (PEC).
