Decoding Chemical and Physical Processes Driving Plasmonic Photocatalysis Using Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopies

Abstract

In this study, we showed that nanocrystals of the degenerately doped plasmonic semiconductor Cu 2−x Se show enhancement factors comparable to those of noble metals and can drive the dimerization of 4-NBT to give DMAB with similar ef f iciencies.

Readily tunable surface plasmon resonances in gold nanoring arrays fabricated using lateral electrodeposition

“…The ratio of SERS intensities for the two peaks at 1144 and 1180 cm −1 is generally used as a measure of the extent of this photocatalytic con- version. 35 For GNR2, the intensity ratio (I 1144 /I 1180 ) was calculated to be 0.59 whereas for GNR5 this ratio was observed to be 1.6 folds higher (0.98) indicating the higher extent of ATP conversion to DMAB on the surface of GNR5 under laser irradiation. Two dominant mechanistic theories have been proposed in the literature to rationalise the photocatalytic conversion of ATP to DMAB.…”

“…The electromagnetic mechanism describes the generation of hot electrons through decay of excited plasmon as responsible for the photocatalytic conversion whereas the chemical enhancement mechanism assigns non resonant absorption and charge transfer as responsible for ATP conversion to DMAB through generation of complimentary hot holes and hot electron generation. 35,36 In this study, surface excitation for SERS experiments was done with a 785 nm laser. The efficiency of non-resonant absorption and charge transfer reactions is significantly reduced at wavelengths away from the interband transition region which occurs in the range of 450-530 nm for gold.…”

Construction and Activity of an All‐Organic Heterojunction Photocatalyst Based on Melem and Pyromellitic Dianhydride

“…Sustainable development is the most effective economic strategy to solve the serious environmental pollution and energy crisis. [1][2][3] Amongst the various potential development technologies, semiconductor photocatalysis is considered an eco-friendly technology to solve the environmental pollution and energy crisis. [4,5] This condition is attributed to photocatalysis technology that uses natural sunlight or artificial lamp as the energy source.…”

An Electrochromic Ag-Decorated WO3−x Film with Adjustable Defect States for Electrochemical Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy

“…However, recent studies have found that plasmonic excitation can generate energetic hot electrons under specific conditions, thereby affording high catalytic activity for inducing chemical reactions at metallic surfaces [ 6 ]. Although this finding has pushed the development of plasmon-mediated chemical reactions in green photocatalysis, obtaining a reliable EC-SERS spectrum is difficult in actual measurements, which restricts detailed studies of molecular adsorption or chemical mechanisms at metal surfaces [ 7 ]. To avoid undesirable catalytic reactions, a low excitation power is recommended for EC-SERS measurements.…”