Why is the identification of active sites crucial and how can it be misinterpreted?
The active site is where the catalytic reaction occurs. Misidentifying these sites can lead to incorrect conclusions about the catalyst's mechanism and efficiency. Advanced characterization techniques, like X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) or scanning tunneling microscopy (STM), can help accurately identify active sites, but these methods also require careful interpretation to avoid erroneous conclusions.
