Abstract
In this chapter the surface structure of photocatalysts and the primarily generated unstable species are presented as a previous stage of the detailed description of photocatalytic reactions in the next chapter. First it is demonstrated that the surface of metal oxides represented by TiO2 varies depending on the surrounding situations such as adsorption of water and organic molecules. The electrons and holes which are photogenerated in photocatalysts to be trapped on the surface are described. Then, the active oxygen species, such as OH radical, superoxide radical, singlet oxygen, and hydrogen peroxide, which are produced in the photocatalytic reactions, are described from the viewpoint of environmental cleaning.
Publisher
The Royal Society of Chemistry