Due to the capacity of efficiently harvesting and converting light energy, the property of localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) in the noble metal is employed as an efficient assistant in photoelectrochemical water splitting. In this study, the Au nanoparticles (NPs) were modified on the 1D ordered structure as the active sites of the SPR effect for the plasmon-enhanced photocatalytic performance. A maximum current density of 4.45 mA cm −2 at 1.2 V (versus RHE) was obtained in alkaline solution without a sacrificial agent for the ZnO-CdS-Au photoelectrode, which was 1.48 times higher than that of the ZnO-CdS nanorods without Au decoration, as well as the ~235% enhancement of the photoconversion efficiency. Compared to similar nanostructures previously reported, the present superior photoactivity response was ascribed to the injection process of the energetic hot electrons generated through the excitation and decay of surface plasmons in the Au NPs, resulting in the efficient separation and migration of photogenerated electron-hole pairs in ternary nanorod arrays. These excellent results have expanded the comprehensive understanding of hot electron migration in plasmonic NP-semiconductor nanocomposite, and provided a promising strategy for the rational design of the plasmonic-enhanced photocatalyst.

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