Single-Particle Study of Pt-Modified Au Nanorods for Plasmon-Enhanced Hydrogen Generation in Visible to Near-Infrared Region

From UV to near-infrared, WS2 nanosheet: a novel photocatalyst for full solar light spectrum photodegradation

Narrow-bandgap semiconductor WS2 nanosheets are active photocatalysts, either under visible or under NIR irradiation. The photocatalyst functions are confirmed via photogeneration of an electron-hole pair, with a low rate of recombination.

Steering charge kinetics in photocatalysis: intersection of materials syntheses, characterization techniques and theoretical simulations

This review outlines the recent progress on probing and steering charge kinetics toward designing highly efficient photocatalysts.

Plasmon-induced spatial electron transfer between single Au nanorods and ALD-coated TiO2: dependence on TiO2 thickness

The interfacial electron transfer between single Au nanorods and TiO₂ coated by ALD was investigated by single-particle photoluminescence measurements.

NIR light induced H2evolution by a metal-free photocatalyst

A novel metal-free photocatalyst composed of g-C₃N₄and carbon quantum dots drives near-infrared induced H₂generation from water.

Site-specific growth of AgPd nanodendrites on highly purified Au bipyramids with remarkable catalytic performance

Au nanorods have been extensively explored in various applications as the template for heterogeneous metallic nanostructures. However, Au bipyramids (AuBPs) have been paid much less attention although they possess an intriguing crystalline structure and extremely superior plasmonic properties which are absent in AuNRs. The state-of-the-art synthesis cannot produce pure AuBPs, which has become a major barrier to their various applications like catalysis since purity is often critical for achieving the desired performance. Herein, we have shown a facile approach to obtain large-scale high-purity AuBPs. The purity of AuBPs can be improved from 30 to 50% for the as-synthesized AuBP solution to over 95% for the purified solution. Site-specific growth of AgPd nanodendrites on multiply twinned AuBPs from core-shell to tipped nanostructures was achieved for the first time by coupling a galvanic replacement with a co-reduction process, which show remarkable catalytic activity in the reduction reaction of 4-nitrophenol (4-NP) by NaBH4. The use of ascorbic acid (AA) as a reductant in the co-reduction process and the intriguing crystalline structure of AuBPs play a critical role in forming these unique structures. We believe that this work would provide a general strategy to prepare high-purity AuBP based trimetallic nanostructures, which offers the opportunity for AuBPs to be widely used in catalysis or other plasmonic-effect related applications in the near future.

Nanogold plasmonic photocatalysis for organic synthesis and clean energy conversion

This review provides the basic concepts, an overall survey and the state-of-the art of plasmon-based nanogold photocatalysis using visible light including fundamental understanding and major applications to organic reactions and clean energy-conversion systems. First, the basic concepts of localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) are recalled, then the major preparation methods of AuNP-based plasmonic photocatalysts are reviewed. The major part of the review is dedicated to the latest progress in the application of nanogold plasmonic photocatalysis to organic transformations and energy conversions, and the proposed mechanisms are discussed. In conclusion, new challenges and perspectives are proposed and analyzed.

Decoupling mechanisms of platinum deposition on colloidal gold nanoparticle substrates

Nanoscale platinum materials are essential components in many technologies, including catalytic converters and fuel cells. Combining Pt with other metals can enhance its performance and/or decrease the cost of the technology, and a wide range of strategies have been developed to capitalize on these advantages. However, wet chemical synthesis of Pt-containing nanoparticles (NPs) is challenging due to the diverse metal segregation and metal-metal redox processes possible under closely related experimental conditions. Here, we elucidate the relationship between Pt(IV) speciation and the formation of well-known NP motifs, including frame-like and core-shell morphologies, in Au-Pt systems. We leverage insights gained from these studies to induce a controlled transition from redox- to surface chemistry-mediated growth pathways, resulting in the formation of Pt NPs in epitaxial contact and linear alignment along a gold nanoprism substrate. Mechanistic investigations using a combination of electron microscopy and (195)Pt NMR spectroscopy identify Pt(IV) speciation as a crucial parameter for understanding and controlling the formation of Pt-containing NPs. Combined, these findings point toward fully bottom-up methods for deposition and organization of NPs on colloidal plasmonic substrates.