0000000000266072
AUTHOR
Diana M. Fragua
Au-ZnO Nanocomposite Films for Plasmonic Photocatalysis
Nanocomposites based on plasmonic nanoparticles and metal-oxide semiconductors are emerging as promising materials for conversion of solar energy into chemical energy. In this work, a Au–ZnO nanocomposite film with notably enhanced photocatalytic activity is successfully prepared by a single-step process. Both ZnO and Au nanoparticles are synthesized in situ during baking of the film spin-coated from a solution of Zn(CH3COO)2 and HAuCl4. Furthermore, it is shown that this precursor solution can be formulated as a nanoink for the generation of micropatterns by microplotter printing, opening the way for the miniaturization of devices with enhanced properties for photocatalysis, optoelectronic…
Au–NiOx nanocomposite for hot electron-assisted plasmonic photocatalysis
Nanocomposites of metal–oxide semiconductors containing Au nanoparticles are emerging multifunctional materials for sunlight-driven highly efficient photocatalysis. Here we report a solution-processed nanocomposite synthesis of Au–NiOx nanocomposite films by slot-die coating and plotter printing in a straightforward in situ synthesis approach. Our study demonstrated a significantly enhanced photocatalytic decomposition reaction of MO upon exposure of Au–NiOx films to a sunlight simulator. The excellent photocatalytic activity is ascribed to the generation of hot carriers after LSPR excitation in Au NPs. Suitable band alignment between the valence band of NiOx and the Fermi level of Au NPs l…