Highly Efficient Plasmon Induced Hot-Electron Transfer at Ag/TiO₂ Interface

Abstract

Plasmon induced hot carrier transfer is a promising novel approach for solar energy conversion, but its practical application is often hindered by its low efficiency. This work demonstrates an unprecedented quantum efficiency of plasmonic hot-electron transfer of up to 53 ± 2% from 1.7 nm silver nanoparticles to anatase nanoporous TiO2 films at 400 nm excitation. This efficient hot-electron transfer consists of contributions of both hot electrons generated by plasmon decay through exciting Ag intraband transitions and Ag-to-TiO2 interfacial charge-transfer transitions. The efficiencies of both pathways increase at smaller Ag particle sizes from 5.9 to 1.7 nm, suggesting that decreasing particle sizes is a promising way toward efficient plasmonic hot-carrier extraction.

Effects of the silver nanodots on the photocatalytic activity of mixed‐phase TiO2

“…Owing to the deep intergrowth of hexagonal silver nanoparticles on the surface of anatase, observed on TEM images (Figure 4D), these injection processes are highly facilitated. The electron transfer from silver nanoparticles to titania comprises of plasmon‐induced hot e − transfer (PHET) and plasmon‐induced charge transfer transition (PICTT), both enabled owing to the strongly coupled metal and semiconductor 76–78 . Unfavorable entrapment of electrons by silver (especially expressed in the sample with 10 wt%) is described by Equation (), while unwanted recombination of electrons and holes, occurring in TiO 2 , is presented by Equation ().…”

“…The electron transfer from silver nanoparticles to titania comprises of plasmon-induced hot e − transfer (PHET) and plasmon-induced charge transfer transition (PICTT), both enabled owing to the strongly coupled metal and semiconductor. [76][77][78] Unfavorable entrapment of electrons by silver (especially expressed in the sample with 10 wt%) is described by Equation ( 6), while unwanted recombination of electrons and holes, occurring in TiO 2 , is presented by Equation (7). Formation of hydroxyl-radicals, species responsible for dye degradation, occurs at the surface of TiO 2 and Ag particles and is presented by Equation (8).…”

Plasmonic hot-electron assisted phase transformation in 2D-MoS2 for the hydrogen evolution reaction: current status and future prospects

“…The plasmon-induced phase-transformation process could develop next-generation rapid HER due to its accelerated interfacial charge transfer, faster charge regeneration, and high efficiency. [60][61][62] In this article, a comprehensive overview of plasmonic hotelectron induced phase transition in 2D-MoS 2 from semiconducting (2H) MoS 2 into metallic (1T) MoS 2 is demonstrated. A detailed discussion is focused on the evolution of the optical, electrical, and catalytic properties of 2D-MoS 2 associated with such hot-electron-assisted semiconducting to the metallic phase transition.…”

“…The plasmon-induced phase-transformation process could develop next-generation rapid HER due to its accelerated interfacial charge transfer, faster charge regeneration, and high efficiency. 60–62…”

Quantitative Modeling of Electron Dynamics and the Effect of Diffusion in Photosensitized Semiconductor Nanocomposites

“…23,25,28 The decay lifetimes at the various time scales have been intuitively assigned to specific decay processes (excited electron cooling, back electron transfer, electron diffusion). 1,2,23,26 However, this phenomeno- logical analysis completely ignores the interconnectivity of the various individual physical processes and is especially problematic as these processes occur on similar time scales and may all contribute to one or more of the observed multiple exponential decays. To correctly understand and describe the CB electron dynamics requires deconvolution of each of the decay processes from the entangled multiexponential decays in the experimentally observed signal.…”