Measurement of the activity of hydrogen and oxygen catalysts by a photochemical relaxation method

Abstract

A technique is described that allows the measurement of the rate and the calculation of the rate constant for the reaction of a species, R^±, of appropriate redox potential with a catalyst (noble-metal colloid, metal oxide, enzyme etc.) leading to the oxidation or reduction of water. The relay, R^±, is continuously generated photochemically until at t= 0 the production is stopped. The relaxation of [R^±] from its photostationary-state value is monitored by light absorption and the kinetics are analysed.