Nanoparticles composed of metal alloys are advantageous in that their optical properties may be controlled by both morphology and composition. Nanoparticles utilizing alloys of catalytically active noble metals present the opportunity to combine inherent catalytic function with light-harvesting capability; where the additional energy provided by light absorption is considered as a potential means to alleviate other undesirable reaction conditions for efficient catalysis, such as high ambient temperature.<br/><br/>In this work, novel Au-Pd alloy nanoparticles of various morphologies and stoichiometries, having visible-light optical transitions, were prepared by facile rapid-thermal annealing treatment and used to sensitize transparent conducting oxide and semiconducting oxide films. Catalytic activity was evaluated in terms of the photoelectroechemical oxidation of small molecules, by means of gas-chromatography. Time-resolved optical spectroscopy was used to determine the dependence of electron-phonon coupling kinetics on structure and composition, and, ultimately, to evaluate the nature of the photocatalytic enhancement, i.e. photothermal vs. photoelectrochemical.

Spectroscopy of plasmonic Pd-Au alloy nanoparticle photocatalysts

256th National Meeting (2018)

The official archive and repository for all ACS Meetings & Expositions abstracts and select posters or presentations.