The Catalyzed Photodissociation of Water

Chemical interactions between molecules in excited electronic, vibrational, or rotational states and surfaces is a new field of catalytic science. Until recently, catalysis of chemical reactions has only been considered for molecules in their thermodynamic ground states. Most of the surface reactions to be catalyzed were exothermic or thermodynamically downhill. In carrying out endothermic reactions, the only source of energy considered has been the addition of heat. This also assured that the molecules maintained an equilibrium energy distribution throughout the reaction.