Photocatalytic water splittingPhotocatalytic water splitting is a process that uses photocatalysis for the dissociation of water (H2O) into hydrogen (H2) and oxygen (O2). Only light energy (photons), water, and a catalyst(s) are needed, since this is what naturally occurs in natural photosynthetic oxygen production and CO2 fixation. Photocatalytic water splitting is done by dispersing photocatalyst particles in water or depositing them on a substrate, unlike Photoelectrochemical cell, which are assembled into a cell with a photoelectrode.
Thermal expansionThermal expansion is the tendency of matter to change its shape, area, volume, and density in response to a change in temperature, usually not including phase transitions. Temperature is a monotonic function of the average molecular kinetic energy of a substance. When a substance is heated, molecules begin to vibrate and move more, usually creating more distance between themselves. Substances which contract with increasing temperature are unusual, and only occur within limited temperature ranges (see examples below).
CatenationIn chemistry, catenation is the bonding of atoms of the same element into a series, called a chain. A chain or a ring shape may be open if its ends are not bonded to each other (an open-chain compound), or closed if they are bonded in a ring (a cyclic compound). The words to catenate and catenation reflect the Latin root catena, "chain". Catenation occurs most readily with carbon, which forms covalent bonds with other carbon atoms to form longer chains and structures.
