Plasmon Inducing Effects for Enhanced Photoelectrochemical Water Splitting: X-ray Absorption Approach to Electronic Structures
Journal
Acs Nano
Journal Volume
6
Journal Issue
8
Pages
7362-7372
Date Issued
2012
Author(s)
Abstract
Artificial photosynthesis using semiconductors has been investigated for more than three decades for the purpose of transferring solar energy into chemical fuels. Numerous studies have revealed that the introduction of plasmonic materials into photochemical reaction can substantially enhance the photo response to the solar splitting of water. Until recently, few systematic studies have provided clear evidence concerning how plasmon excitation and which factor dominates the solar splitting of water in photovoltaic devices. This work demonstrates the effects of plasmons upon an Au nanostructure-ZnO nanorods array as a photoanode. Several strategies have been successfully adopted to reveal the mutually independent contributions of various plasmonic effects under solar irradiation. These have clarified that the coupling of hot electrons that are formed by plasmons and the electromagnetic field can effectively increase the probability of a photochemical reaction in the splitting of water. These findings support a new approach to investigating localized plasmon-induced effects and charge separation in photoelectrochemical processes, and solar water splitting was used herein as platform to explore mechanisms of enhancement of surface plasmon resonance. © 2012 American Chemical Society.
Subjects
gold; plasmon; water splitting; X-ray absorption spectroscopy; zinc oxide
SDGs
Other Subjects
Artificial photosynthesis; Charge separations; Mutually independents; Nanorods arrays; Photoanode; Photoelectrochemicals; Photoresponses; Photovoltaic devices; Plasmon excitations; Plasmonic; Solar irradiation; Solar water splitting; Systematic study; Water splitting; Electrochemistry; Electromagnetic fields; Electronic structure; Gold; Nanorods; Photochemical reactions; Solar power generation; X ray absorption spectroscopy; Zinc oxide; Plasmons; hydrogen; nanomaterial; oxygen; water; article; chemistry; electromagnetic field; light; methodology; radiation exposure; surface plasmon resonance; X ray; Electromagnetic Fields; Hydrogen; Light; Nanostructures; Oxygen; Surface Plasmon Resonance; Water; X-Rays
Type
journal article