Plasmon-Mediated Electrocatalysis for Sustainable Energy: From Electrochemical Conversion of Different Feedstocks to Fuel Cell Reactions

Abstract

The incorporation of plasmonic properties recently emerged as an advanced strategy for achieving high-performance catalysis. The hot carriers and near-field enhancement induced by localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) excitation are the key parameters that are responsible for the enhanced performance. Thus, the logical combination of the plasmonic nanostructures and electrocatalytic materials can be an effective strategy for further widening application of the plasmonic effect. This short Review provides a concise overview of the fundamental principles of LSPR; the mechanism of plasmonenhanced electrocatalysis; alternative design methods of plasmonic nanomaterials for various catalytic systems; and recent progress in plasmon-mediated electrocatalysis for the production of energy, including electrochemical conversion of different feedstocks into fuels along with fuel cell catalysis. This Review also sheds light on the areas where major advancements are required to further improve the field of plasmon-mediated electrocatalysis to achieve a major paradigm shift toward a sustainable future.

Synergy between Plasmonic and Electrocatalytic Activation of Methanol Oxidation on Palladium–Silver Alloy Nanotubes

“…Photoexcited or hot e − generated at the Pd x Ag electrocatalyst by LSPR excitation can be transferred to the external circuit or to e − ‐accepting adsorbates (Scheme ) . The hot h + left behind in the alloy can participate in MOR through a pathway complementary to electro‐oxidation.…”

Energy level engineering in transition-metal doped spinel-structured nanosheets for efficient overall water splitting

“…The turnover frequency (TOF; s -1 ) for OER was calculated with the following equation: TOF= I/(4Fn) (4) The TOF for HER was calculated with the following equation: TOF= I/(2Fn) (5) Where I is the current (A), F is the Faraday constant (C mol -1 ), n is the number of active sites (mol). The factors of 1/4 or 1/2 are the corresponding electron transfer numbers.…”

“…As Water electrolysis has been regarded as a promising approach to split water into molecular hydrogen (H2), a clean energy carrier for both stationary power and transportation. [1][2][3][4] To expedite the kinetics of water electrolysis, advanced electrocatalysts are always needed to minimize the overpotentials for both hydrogen evolution and oxygen evolution reactions (HER and OER). [5][6][7][8][9] To date, platinum-group metals and noble metal oxides (such as iridium oxide and ruthenium oxide) display unbeatable electrocatalytic activity to drive HER and OER.…”

Plasmon‐Enhanced Electrocatalytic Properties of Rationally Designed Hybrid Nanostructures at a Catalytic Interface

“…SPR at the interface of two media with dielectric constants of opposite signs constitutes electromagnetic waves coupled to the collective oscillations of free conductive electrons on the surface of noble nanostructures . Upon light irradiation, localized SPR (LSPR) at the interface between nanostructured noble metals with higher curvature and dielectric materials at a resonant frequency is postulated to generate strong local electromagnetic fields . This phenomenon can be strategically utilized to induce enhancement of both photothermal and photocatalytic effects .…”