Encapsulating gold nanoparticles in zeolitic imidazolate framework crystal for novel optical response

Research on photocatalytic CO2 conversion to renewable synthetic fuels based on localized surface plasmon resonance: current progress and future perspectives

Due to its desirable optoelectronic properties, localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) can hopefully play a promising role in photocatalytic CO2 reduction reaction (CO2RR). In this review, mechanisms and applications of LSPR effect in this field are introduced in detail.

Chemically Bonded Plasmonic Triazole-Functionalized Au/Zeolitic Imidazole Framework (ZIF-67) for Enhanced CO2 Photoreduction

The design of functionalized metallic nanoparticles is considered an emerging technique to ensure the interaction between metal and semiconductor material. In the literature, this interface interaction is mainly governed by electrostatic or van der Waals forces, limiting the injection of electrons under light irradiation. To enhance the transfer of electrons between two compounds, close contact or chemical bonding at the interface is required. Herein, a new approach was reported for the synthesis of chemically bonded plasmonic Au NPs/ZIF-67 nanocomposites. The structure of ZIF-67 was grown on the surface of functionalized plasmonic Au NPs using 1H-1,2,4-triazole-3-thiol as the capping agent, which acted as both stabilizer of Au nanoparticles and a molecular linker for ZIF-67 formation. As a result, the synthesized material exhibited outstanding photocatalytic CO₂ reduction with a methanol production rate of 2.70 mmol h^-1  g^-1 _cat under sunlight irradiation. This work emphasizes that the diligent use of capping agents, with suitable functional groups, could facilitate the formation of intimate heterostructure for enhanced photocatalytic CO₂ reduction.

A Photocatalytic Hydrolysis and Degradation of Toxic Dyes by Using Plasmonic Metal–Semiconductor Heterostructures: A Review

Converting solar energy to chemical energy through a photocatalytic reaction is an efficient technique for obtaining a clean and affordable source of energy. The main problem with solar photocatalysts is the recombination of charge carriers and the large band gap of the photocatalysts. The plasmonic noble metal coupled with a semiconductor can give a unique synergetic effect and has emerged as the leading material for the photocatalytic reaction. The LSPR generation by these kinds of materials has proved to be very efficient in the photocatalytic hydrolysis of the hydrogen-rich compound, photocatalytic water splitting, and photocatalytic degradation of organic dyes. A noble metal coupled with a low bandgap semiconductor result in an ideal photocatalyst. Here, both the noble metal and semiconductor can absorb visible light. They tend to produce an electron–hole pair and prevent the recombination of the generated electron–hole pair, which ultimately reacts with the chemicals in the surrounding area, resulting in an enhanced photocatalytic reaction. The enhanced photocatalytic activity credit could be given to the shared effect of the strong SPR and the effective separation of photogenerated electrons and holes supported by noble metal particles. The study of plasmonic metal nanoparticles onto semiconductors has recently accelerated. It has emerged as a favourable technique to master the constraint of traditional photocatalysts and stimulate photocatalytic activity. This review work focuses on three main objectives: providing a brief explanation of plasmonic dynamics, understanding the synthesis procedure and examining the main features of the plasmonic metal nanostructure that dominate its photocatalytic activity, comparing the reported literature of some plasmonic photocatalysts on the hydrolysis of ammonia borane and dye water treatment, providing a detailed description of the four primary operations of the plasmonic energy transfer, and the study of prospects and future of plasmonic nanostructures.

Comparison of Catalytic Activity of ZIF-8 and Zr/ZIF-8 for Greener Synthesis of Chloromethyl Ethylene Carbonate by CO2 Utilization

The catalytic activity of both ZIF-8 and Zr/ZIF-8 has been investigated for the synthesis of chloromethyl ethylene carbonate (CMEC) using carbon dioxide (CO2) and epichlorohydrin (ECH) under solvent-free conditions. Published results from literature have highlighted the weak thermal, chemical, and mechanical stability of ZIF-8 catalyst, which has limited its large-scale industrial applications. The synthesis of novel Zr/ZIF-8 catalyst for cycloaddition reaction of ECH and CO2 to produce CMEC has provided a remarkable reinforcement to this weak functionality, which is a significant contribution to knowledge in the field of green and sustainable engineering. The enhancement in the catalytic activity of Zr in Zr/ZIF-8 can be attributed to the acidity/basicity characteristics of the catalyst. The comparison of the catalytic performance of the two catalysts has been drawn based on the effect of different reaction conditions such as temperature, CO2 pressure, catalyst loading, reaction time, stirring speed, and catalyst reusability studies. Zr/ZIF-8 has been assessed as a suitable heterogeneous catalyst outperforming the catalytic activities of ZIF-8 catalyst with respect to conversion of ECH, selectivity and yield of CMEC. At optimum conditions, the experimental results for direct synthesis of CMEC agree well with similar literature on Zr/MOF catalytic performance, where the conversion of ECH, selectivity and the yield of CMEC are 93%, 86%, and 76%, respectively.