Zewail's work has been instrumental in the study of photocatalysis, where light is used to drive chemical reactions. Understanding the ultrafast processes involved in photocatalysis can lead to the development of more efficient solar cells and light-driven chemical processes. Additionally, femtochemistry has been used to study heterogeneous catalysis, where reactions occur on the surface of solid catalysts. This is crucial for optimizing industrial processes such as the synthesis of ammonia or the refining of petroleum.
