Optically monitored catalytic photonic crystal fibre microreactor

Here we show that by depositing metallic catalyst nanoparticles in the core of the fibre, we can turn the HC-PCF into a catalytically active microreactor. As a proof-of-principle experiment, we investigated the well-known catalytic hydrogenation of azobenzene in a kagomé HC-PCF, whose core wall has been decorated with rhodium (Rh) catalyst nanoparticles. The reaction was monitored online by in-fibre absorption spectroscopy.