Understanding the mechanism of plasmon-driven water splitting: hot electron injection and a near field enhancement effect
Jiaquan Huang, Xinyi Zhao, Xunkun Huang, WanZhen Liang
Abstract
O creates the conditions for direct electron injection. We further find that the linear dependence of the reaction rate and the field amplitude only holds at a relatively weak field and it breaks down when the second OH bond begins to dissociate and field-induced water fragmentation occurs at a very intensive field, and that with the guarantee of electron injection, the water splitting rate increases with an increase in the NP size. This study will be helpful for further improving the efficiency of photochemical reactions involving plasmon-generated hot carriers and expanding the applications of hot carriers in a variety of chemical reactions.
Topics & Concepts
Antibonding molecular orbitalPlasmonElectronAtomic orbitalChemical physicsExcited stateReaction ratePhotocatalysisChemistryWater splittingAtomic physicsMolecular physicsMaterials sciencePhotochemistryPhysicsOptoelectronicsCatalysisBiochemistryQuantum mechanicsGold and Silver Nanoparticles Synthesis and ApplicationsQuantum Dots Synthesis And PropertiesLaser-Ablation Synthesis of Nanoparticles