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Title: Evidence and implications of direct charge excitation as the dominant mechanism in plasmon-mediated photocatalysis

Journal Article · · Nature Communications
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1038/ncomms10545· OSTI ID:1242978

Plasmonic metal nanoparticles enhance chemical reactions on their surface when illuminated with light of particular frequencies. It has been shown that these processes are driven by excitation of localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR). The interaction of LSPR with adsorbate orbitals can lead to the injection of energized charge carriers into the adsorbate, which can result in chemical transformations. The mechanism of the charge injection process (and role of LSPR) is not well understood. Here we shed light on the specifics of this mechanism by coupling optical characterization methods, mainly wavelength-dependent Stokes and anti-Stokes SERS, with kinetic analysis of photocatalytic reactions in an Ag nanocube–methylene blue plasmonic system. We propose that localized LSPR-induced electric fields result in a direct charge transfer within the molecule–adsorbate system. Lastly, these observations provide a foundation for the development of plasmonic catalysts that can selectively activate targeted chemical bonds, since the mechanism allows for tuning plasmonic nanomaterials in such a way that illumination can selectively enhance desired chemical pathways.

Research Organization:
Univ. of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES)
Grant/Contract Number:
FG02-05ER15686
OSTI ID:
1242978
Journal Information:
Nature Communications, Vol. 7; ISSN 2041-1723
Publisher:
Nature Publishing GroupCopyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Citation Metrics:
Cited by: 358 works
Citation information provided by
Web of Science

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Full-Spectrum Solar-Light-Activated Photocatalysts for Light-Chemical Energy Conversion journal June 2017
Mechanistic Studies of Plasmon Chemistry on Metal Catalysts journal February 2019
Surface Plasmon Resonance-Enhanced Visible-NIR-Driven Photocatalytic and Photothermal Catalytic Performance by Ag/Mesoporous Black TiO 2 Nanotube Heterojunctions journal November 2018
Reaction Pathway Dependence in Plasmonic Catalysis: Hydrogenation as a Model Molecular Transformation journal February 2018
A surfactant‐free synthesis of the silica nanosphere‐supported ultrafine silver nanoparticles and their antibacterial effects journal April 2019
Integration of Photothermal Effect and Heat Insulation to Efficiently Reduce Reaction Temperature of CO 2 Hydrogenation journal November 2016
Reactivating Catalytic Surface: Insights into the Role of Hot Holes in Plasmonic Catalysis journal February 2018
Utilization of hybrid plasmonic modes to investigate surface interactions between nanocubes and polymer substrates journal February 2017
Plasmonic hot electron transfer-induced multicolor MoO3-x-based chromogenic system for visual and colorimetric determination of silver(I) journal January 2020
Product selectivity in plasmonic photocatalysis for carbon dioxide hydrogenation journal February 2017
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Rational design of plasmonic catalysts: matching the surface plasmon resonance with lamp emission spectra for improved performance in AgAu nanorings journal January 2016
First-principles study on charge transfer in an actinide-containing superatom from surface-enhanced Raman scattering journal January 2017
Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopic detection of molecular chemo- and plasmo-catalysis on noble metal nanoparticles journal January 2018
Generation of reactive oxygen species and charge carriers in plasmonic photocatalytic Au@TiO 2 nanostructures with enhanced activity journal January 2018
Unearthing the factors governing site specific rates of electronic excitations in multicomponent plasmonic systems and catalysts journal January 2019
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Energy-tunable photocatalysis by hot carriers generated by surface plasmon polaritons journal January 2019
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Self-Z-scheme plasmonic tungsten oxide nanowires for boosting ethanol dehydrogenation under UV-visible light irradiation journal January 2019
Plasmonic hot electron transfer in anisotropic Pt–Au nanodisks boosts electrochemical reactions in the visible-NIR region journal January 2019
Electromagnetic plasmonic field of nanoparticles tune the band gap of two-dimensional semiconducting materials journal January 2019
Tunable photoelectric response in NiO-based heterostructures by various orientations journal February 2018
Promoted reversible wettability transition by plasmonic effects at Ag/TiO 2 heterointerface journal January 2019
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Real-space observation of far- and near-field-induced photolysis of molecular oxygen on an Ag(110) surface by visible light journal October 2019
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