- #1
citw
- 72
- 0
Can some one explain (to a non-chemist) what exactly is happening in the decomposition reactions
[tex]
\text{MX}+zh^++\text{solv}\longrightarrow\text{M}^{z+}\cdot\text{solv}+\text{X}\text{ (oxidation) }
[/tex]
and
[tex]
\text{MX}+ze^-+\text{solv}\longrightarrow\text{M}+\text{X}^{z-}\cdot\text{solv} \text{ (reduction) }
[/tex]
In these reactions, MX referers to a compound semiconductor (e.g., M= Zn, Ga, Ti, etc., X=S, N, O2, etc.). It's my understanding that the first equation describes the oxidation of the semiconductor by its photogenerated holes, while the second describes the reduction by photogenerated electrons. This can be found in the following article
http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/cm302533s
However, as I have limited education in chemistry, I don't really understand what is meant by the terms such as z in front of the electron, or "solv" indicated with the oxidized/reduced products. Are we saying "z electrons/holes", therefore changing the oxidation state by this amount? The "solv" part I really don't know about.
[tex]
\text{MX}+zh^++\text{solv}\longrightarrow\text{M}^{z+}\cdot\text{solv}+\text{X}\text{ (oxidation) }
[/tex]
and
[tex]
\text{MX}+ze^-+\text{solv}\longrightarrow\text{M}+\text{X}^{z-}\cdot\text{solv} \text{ (reduction) }
[/tex]
In these reactions, MX referers to a compound semiconductor (e.g., M= Zn, Ga, Ti, etc., X=S, N, O2, etc.). It's my understanding that the first equation describes the oxidation of the semiconductor by its photogenerated holes, while the second describes the reduction by photogenerated electrons. This can be found in the following article
http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/cm302533s
However, as I have limited education in chemistry, I don't really understand what is meant by the terms such as z in front of the electron, or "solv" indicated with the oxidized/reduced products. Are we saying "z electrons/holes", therefore changing the oxidation state by this amount? The "solv" part I really don't know about.