Operando Spectroscopy of Catalysts Exploiting Multi-technique and Modulated Excitation Approaches

Operando spectroscopy combines the in situ determination of material structure by spectroscopy/diffraction techniques with the measurement of material performance, which is conversion/selectivity in the field of heterogeneous catalysis. A central question in operando spectroscopy is whether the signatures visible by the characterization methods are responsible for catalyst performance. Individual analytical methods can provide useful information, but their combination (multi-technique approach) is essential to obtain a complete perspective on molecular reaction mechanisms. This approach must be coupled to experimental protocols and mathematical algorithms enabling the ability to disentangle the contribution of the active structure from the unresponsive one. Here, we report an account with examples from our own research activities in catalysis science.