Atomically precise thiolate-protected gold nanoclusters: current advances in solar-powered photoredox catalysis

Photocatalysis has been regarded as an emerging technology to convert renewable solar energy to chemical fuels, providing unprecedented opportunities for solving the deteriorating energy crisis and environmental issues in the future. In recent years, atomically precise gold nanoclusters, which have...

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Published inJournal of materials chemistry. A, Materials for energy and sustainability Vol. 11; no. 17; pp. 941 - 9426
Main Authors Liang, Hao, Chen, Qing, Mo, Qiao-Ling, Wu, Yue, Xiao, Fang-Xing
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Cambridge Royal Society of Chemistry 02.05.2023
Subjects
Carbon dioxide
Catalysis
Charge transport
Chemical fuels
Electronic structure
Energy
Energy bands
Energy conversion
Gold
Hydrogen production
Mineralization
Nanoclusters
New technology
Photocatalysis
Photoredox catalysis
Quantum confinement
Solar energy
Solar energy conversion
Transport properties
Water splitting
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Summary:Photocatalysis has been regarded as an emerging technology to convert renewable solar energy to chemical fuels, providing unprecedented opportunities for solving the deteriorating energy crisis and environmental issues in the future. In recent years, atomically precise gold nanoclusters, which have emerged as novel light-harvesting antennas possessing the merits of unique atomic stacking fashion, the quantum confinement effect, enriched catalytically active sites and a discrete energy band structure, have been drawing enormous attention in diverse fields. Despite the advancement, there is deficiency of a systematic, comprehensive, and insightful summary on the gold nanocluster-based photosystems to reinforce our fundamental understanding of the charge transport characteristics of metal nanoclusters in photocatalysis. Herein, our review summarizes the latest progress in gold nanocluster mediated photocatalysis and photoelectrocatalysis for diverse applications including non-selective photocatalytic organic pollutant mineralization, photocatalytic selective organic transformation, photocatalytic hydrogen generation, photocatalytic CO 2 reduction, and photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting. Moreover, we discuss the underlying photocatalytic and PEC mechanisms associated with the energy band and electronic structure of gold nanoclusters. Finally, perspectives and challenges of gold nanocluster-based photosystems are outlined. It is anticipated that our review could inspire ideas on how to smartly utilize atomically precise metal nanoclusters for crafting high-efficiency photosystems towards solar energy conversion. The latest developments in atomically precise gold nanocluster based photosystems for solar energy conversion are comprehensively summarized and elucidated.
Bibliography:2
https://fxxiao.fzu.edu.cn
Fang-Xing Xiao is currently a full professor at Fuzhou University, China. He received his BSc and MSc degrees from National Huaqiao University in 2006 and 2009, and his PhD degree from Fuzhou University in 2013. From 2013 to 2017, he worked as a postdoctoral research fellow at the Nanyang Technological University. His research group works on heterogeneous photoredox catalysis, predominantly centered on designing composite catalysts, fundamental investigation on catalyst structures and catalytic mechanisms, and probing their multifarious redox applications in photocatalysis and photoelectrocatalysis. More detailed information can be found at his research group website
Hao Liang received a Bachelor's degree in Materials Science and Engineering (2019) from Nanjing Institute of Technology, and an MS degree (2022) in Materials Engineering from Fuzhou University. His research interest is centered on developing metal nanocluster-based materials for photocatalytic hydrogen generation and selective organic conversion.
Chen Qing is currently a second-year master student at Fuzhou University under the supervision of Prof. Fang-Xing Xiao. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Materials Science and Engineering from Anhui University of Science and Technology (2020). Her research interest is centered on developing transition metal sulfide-based materials for photocatalytic CO
reduction.
Yue Wu is currently an associate Professor at Fuzhou University, China. She received her BS degree from the College of Chemistry, Central China Normal University, in 2016, and her PhD degree from the Department of Chemistry, Tsinghua University, in 2022. Her research interest focuses on rational design and controlled synthesis of nanomaterials, and their surface/interface structure modulation for catalysis.
Qiao-Ling Mo is a third-year PhD student at Fuzhou University under the supervision of Prof. Xiao. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Materials Chemistry (2015) from Jiangxi University of Science and Technology, and an MS degree (2018) in Materials Physics and Chemistry from Fuzhou University. Her PhD research interest is centered on developing layered transition metal chalcogenide materials for photocatalytic selective organic conversion and photoelectrochemical water splitting.
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ISSN:2050-7488
2050-7496
DOI:10.1039/d3ta01154b