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Catalight─An Open-Source Automated Photocatalytic Reactor Package Illustrated through Plasmonic Acetylene
B B Bourgeois1, A X Dai1, C C Carlin1
1Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Stanford University, 450 Jane Stanford Way, Stanford, California 94305, United States.
The Journal of Physical Chemistry. A
|June 30, 2025
Summary
Catalight, a new Python package, automates complex photocatalysis experiments. This study unexpectedly found light increases the activation barrier for acetylene hydrogenation, revealing a combined photothermal and photochemical mechanism.
Area of Science:
- Chemical Engineering
- Materials Science
- Physical Chemistry
Background:
- Photocatalysis experiments involve complex parameter spaces (temperature, gas flow, illumination).
- Automating these experiments is crucial for efficient performance evaluation.
- Understanding light-induced effects on catalytic reactions is key.
Purpose of the Study:
- To introduce Catalight, an open-source Python package for automating photocatalysis measurements.
- To investigate the effect of light excitation on acetylene hydrogenation over a plasmonic AuPd catalyst.
- To elucidate the underlying photochemical and photothermal mechanisms.
Main Methods:
- Development and demonstration of the Catalight package for automated experimentation.
- Systematic variation of laser power, wavelength, and temperature.
- Measurement of apparent activation barriers for acetylene hydrogenation.
Main Results:
- Catalight successfully automated a multiday photocatalysis experiment.
- An unexpected increase in activation barrier was observed upon light excitation.
- Reaction orders remained unchanged, indicating no change in surface coverage.
- Analysis suggested a combined photothermal and photochemical/hot electron mechanism.
Conclusions:
- Catalight provides a powerful tool for automating complex catalysis research.
- Light excitation can increase the activation barrier in some photocatalytic systems.
- Findings reveal a nuanced mechanism involving both thermal and electronic effects.
- Identified potential systematic errors in photocatalysis experimental design.
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