The dual role of Au nanoparticles in the surface plasmon resonance enhanced photocatalyst Au/g-C3N4

• Published in: Colloid and interface science communications Vol. 48; p. 100615
• Main Authors: Guo, Zhiying, Dai, Fangxu, Yin, Huixiang, Zhang, Mingming, Xing, Jun, Wang, Lei
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 01.05.2022
• Subjects: Au/g-C3N4; Hydrogen evolution; LSPR; Photocatalysis; Synergetic effect; LSPR; Synergetic effect; Au/g-C3N4; Photocatalysis; Hydrogen evolution
• ISSN: 2215-0382; 2215-0382
• DOI: 10.1016/j.colcom.2022.100615

Gold nanoparticles (Au NPs) are widely utilized to broaden the light absorption of the photocatalysts due to their localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR). However, the photocatalytic mechanism of Au/photocatalyst heterostructure involving charges transfer and reactive sites is still in dispute. Here, we synthesized a typical system Au/graphite carbon nitride (g-C3N4) and demonstrate that the role of Au NPs in the LSPR enhanced photocatalysis. Under visible light, the photoexcited electrons of g-C3N4 would transfer to Au NPs and reduce protons into hydrogen together with hot electrons of Au NPs. The hot holes of Au NPs would flow to g-C3N4 and oxidize triethanolamine. Therefore, the Au NPs play a dual role, plasma, and cocatalyst, in the LSPR enhanced photocatalyst. When λ > 420 nm, Au /g-C3N4 has hydrogen production of 159.9 μmol g−1 h−1. Our findings confirm the significance of metal plasma in photocatalytic reaction and benefit designing photocatalysts with boosting performance. In a typical system gold/graphite carbon nitride (Au/g-C3N4) the Au NPs play a dual role, plasma and cocatalyst, in the localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) enhanced photocatalyst. [Display omitted] •Au nanoparticles play the dual role in photocatalysis.•The electron transfer process in photocatalytic reaction was discovered.•Our findings provide insight into plasmonic enhanced photocatalytic water splitting.