Dual-plasmonic Au@Cu₇S₄ yolk@shell nanocrystals for photocatalytic hydrogen production across visible to near infrared spectral region.

ABSTRACT: Near infrared energy remains untapped toward the maneuvering of entire solar spectrum harvesting for fulfilling the nuts and bolts of solar hydrogen production. We report the use of Au@Cu₇S₄ yolk@shell nanocrystals as dual-plasmonic photocatalysts to achieve remarkable hydrogen production under visible and near infrared illumination. Ultrafast spectroscopic data reveal the prevalence of long-lived charge separation states for Au@Cu₇S₄ under both visible and near infrared excitation. Combined with the advantageous features of yolk@shell nanostructures, Au@Cu₇S₄ achieves a peak quantum yield of 9.4% at 500 nm and a record-breaking quantum yield of 7.3% at 2200 nm for hydrogen production in the absence of additional co-catalysts. The design of a sustainable visible- and near infrared-responsive photocatalytic system is expected to inspire further widespread applications in solar fuel generation. In this work, the feasibility of exploiting the localized surface plasmon resonance property of self-doped, nonstoichiometric semiconductor nanocrystals for the realization of wide-spectrum-driven photocatalysis is highlighted.

SUBMITTER: Tsao CW 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10776726 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature