Challenges in Plasmonic Catalysis

Abstract

The use of nanoplasmonics to control light and heat close to the thermodynamic limit enables exciting opportunities in the field of plasmonic catalysis. The decay of plasmonic excitations creates highly nonequilibrium distributions of hot carriers that can initiate or catalyze reactions through both thermal and nonthermal pathways. In this Perspective, we present the current understanding in the field of plasmonic catalysis, capturing vibrant debates in the literature, and discuss future avenues of exploration to overcome critical bottlenecks. Our Perspective spans first-principles theory and computation of correlated and far-from-equilibrium light-matter interactions, synthesis of new nanoplasmonic hybrids, and new steady-state and ultrafast spectroscopic probes of interactions in plasmonic catalysis, recognizing the key contributions of each discipline in realizing the promise of plasmonic catalysis. We conclude with our vision for fundamental and technological advances in the field of plasmon-driven chemical reactions in the coming years.

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Cited by in corpus (16)

• Nanoporous Metals: From Plasmonic Properties to Applications in Enhanced Spectroscopy and Photocatalysis
• Advances in ultrafast plasmonics
• Fermi level equilibration at the metal-molecule interface in plasmonic systems
• Plasmonic nanocrystals with complex shapes for photocatalysis and growth: Contrasting anisotropic hot-electron generation with the photothermal effect
• Interfacial Hot Carrier Collection Controls Plasmonic Chemistry
• Colloidal Titanium Nitride Nanobars for Broadband Inexpensive Plasmonics and Photochemistry from Visible to Mid-IR Wavelengths
• Efficient hot carrier dynamics in near-infrared photocatalytic metals
• Effective single mode methodology for strongly coupled multimode molecular-plasmon nanosystems
• Control of particle trapping in a magnetoplasmonic nanopore
• Quantum-mechanical effects in photoluminescence from thin crystalline gold films
• Multi-faceted plasmonic nanocavities
• Energy-Resolved Femtosecond Hot Electron Dynamics in Single Plasmonic Nanoparticles
• Plasmonic sensing using Babinet's principle
• Density Functional Tight-Binding Enables Tractable Studies of Quantum Plasmonics
• Strong-field effects in the photo-induced dissociation of the hydrogen molecule on a silver nanoshell
• Gold nanodoughnut as an outstanding nanoheater for photothermal applications