Solving the structure of reaction intermediates by time-resolved synchrotron x-ray absorption spectroscopy

We present a robust data analysis method of time-resolved x-ray absorption spectroscopy experiments suitable for chemical speciation and structure determination of reaction intermediates. Chemical speciation is done by principal component analysis (PCA) of the time-resolved x-ray absorption near-edge structure data. Structural analysis of intermediate phases is done by theoretical modeling of their extended x-ray absorption fine-structure data isolated by PCA. The method is demonstrated using reduction and reoxidation of Cu-doped ceria catalysts where we detected reaction intermediates and measured fine details of the reaction kinetics. This approach can be directly adapted to many time-resolved x-ray spectroscopy experiments where new rapid throughput data collection and analysis methods are needed.