CHAPTER 12: Two-dimensional Nanomaterials—An Ideal Platform to Understand Photocatalysis

Heterogeneous catalytic reactions occur on the surface of a catalyst. Thus, high surface-to-volume ratio, and consequently a large fraction of surface atoms in two-dimensional nanomaterials, help to optimize the catalytic activity. More importantly, when the thickness is down at the atomic-scale, novel atomic and electronic structures emerge, providing new opportunities for manipulating the photon capture, charge separation and surface redox reaction kinetics. As such, two-dimensional nanomaterials stand out as ideal platforms to unravel the physicochemical processes in photocatalysis.