(182d) Mechanisms of Enhancement By Metal Co-Catalysts and Plasmonic Nanoparticles in the Photo-Catalytic Activity of Semiconductors

In this contribution, we will shed light on the microscopic mechanisms involved in the enhancement of photo-catalytic performance of semiconductors by the joint action of metal co-catalysts and plasmonic metal nanoparticles. In particular, we will focus on the role of Pt co-catalysts and Ag plasmonic nanoparticles in the photo-catalytic activity of Si for the photo-electrochemical evolution of hydrogen.^1–3 In addition to the description of our experimental findings, I will present a mathematical model that can capture all the main features of this fairly complex photo-catalytic system. I will discuss how our findings can be transferred to any co-catalyst/plasmonic-metal/semiconductor photo-catalytic system.

(1) Hou, Y.; Abrams, B.; Vesborg, P. Nat. Mater. 2011, 10, 434–438.

(2) Lombardi, I.; Marchionna, S.; Zangari, G.; Pizzini, S. Langmuir 2007, 23, 12413–12420.

(3) Ingram, D. B.; Christopher, P.; Bauer, J. L.; Linic, S. ACS Catal. 2011, 1, 1441–1447.