Photocatalytic seawater splitting by 2D heterostructure of ZnIn_(2)S_(4)/WO_(3) decorated with plasmonic Au for hydrogen evolution under visible light

Photocatalytic H_(2) evolution from seawater splitting presents a promising approach to tackle the fossil energy crisis and mitigate carbon emission due to the abundant source of seawater and sunlight on the earth.However,the development of efficient photocatalysts for seawater splitting remains a formidable challenge.Herein,a 2D/2D ZnIn_(2)S_(4)/WO_(3)(ZIS/WO_(3))heterojunction nanostructure is fabricated to efficiently separate the photoinduced carriers by steering electron transfer from the conduction band minimum of WO_(3) to the valence band maximum of ZIS via constructing internal electric field.Subsequently,plasmonic Au nanoparticles(NPs)as a novel photosensitizer and a reduction cocatalyst are anchored on ZIS/WO_(3) surface to further enhance the optical absorption of ZIS/WO_(3) heterojunction and accelerate the catalytic conversion.The obtained Au/ZIS/WO_(3) photocatalyst exhibits an outstanding H_(2) evolution rate of 2610.6 or 3566.3μmol g^(-1)h~(-1)from seawater splitting under visible or full-spectrum light irradiation,respectively.These rates represent an impressive increase of approximately 7.3-and 6,6-fold compared to those of ZIS under the illumination of the same light source.The unique 2D/2D structure,internal electric field,and plasmonic metal modification together boost the photocatalytic H_(2) evolution rate of Au/ZIS/WO_(3),making it even comparable to H_(2) evolution from pure water splitting.The present work sheds light on the development of efficient photocatalysts for seawater splitting.

A plasmonic S-scheme Au/MIL-101(Fe)/BiOBr photocatalyst for efficient synchronous decontamination of Cr(VI) and norfloxacin antibiotic

Present photocatalysts for the synchronous cleanup of pharmaceuticals and heavy metals have several drawbacks,including inadequate reactive sites,inefficient electron–hole disassociation,and insufficient oxidation and reduction power.In this research,we sought to address these issues by using a facile solvothermal-photoreduction route to develop an innovative plasmonic S-scheme heterojunction,Au/MIL-101(Fe)/BiOBr.The screened-out Au/MIL-101(Fe)/BiOBr(AMB-2)works in a durable and high-performance manner for both Cr(VI)and norfloxacin(NOR)eradication under visible light,manifesting up to 53.3 and 2 times greater Cr(VI)and NOR abatement rates,respectively,than BiOBr.Remarkably,AMB-2's ability to remove Cr(VI)in a Cr(VI)-NOR coexistence system is appreciably better than in a sole-Cr(VI)environment;the synergy among Cr(VI),NOR,and AMB-2 results in the better utilization of photo-induced carriers,yielding a desirable capacity for decontaminating Cr(VI)and NOR synchronously.The integration of MOF-based S-scheme heterojunctions and a plasmonic effect contributes to markedly reinforced photocatalytic ability by increasing the number of active sites,augmenting the visible-light absorbance,boosting the efficient disassociation and redistribution of powerful photo-carriers,and elevating the generation of reactive substances.We provide details of the photocatalytic mechanism,NOR decomposition process,and bio-toxicity of the intermediates.This synergistic strategy of modifying S-scheme heterojunctions with a noble metal opens new horizons for devising excellent MOF-based photosystems with a plasmonic effect for environment purification.

Surface plasmon assisted high-performance photodetectors based on hybrid TiO_(2)@GaO_(x)N_(y)-Ag heterostructure

In this work,we reported a high-performance-based ultraviolet-visible(UV-VIS)photodetector based on a TiO_(2)@GaO_(x)N_(y)-Ag heterostructure.Ag particles were introduced into TiO_(2)@GaO_(x)N_(y)to enhance the visible light detection perfor-mance of the heterojunction device.At 380 nm,the responsivity and detectivity of TiO_(2)@GaO_(x)N_(y)-Ag were 0.94 A/W and 4.79×109 Jones,respectively,and they increased to 2.86 A/W and 7.96×1010 Jones at 580 nm.The rise and fall times of the response were 0.19/0.23 and 0.50/0.57 s,respectively.Uniquely,at 580 nm,the responsivity of fabricated devices is one to four orders of magnitude higher than that of the photodetectors based on TiO_(2),Ga_(2)O_(3),and other heterojunctions.The excellent optoelectronic characteristics of the TiO_(2)@GaO_(x)N_(y)-Ag heterojunction device could be mainly attributed to the synergistic effect of the type-Ⅱband structure of the metal-semiconductor-metal heterojunction and the plasmon resonance effect of Ag,which not only effectively promotes the separation of photogenerated carriers but also reduces the recombination rate.It is fur-ther illuminated by finite difference time domain method(FDTD)simulation and photoelectric measurements.The TiO_(2)@GaO_(x)N_(y)-Ag arrays with high-efficiency detection are suitable candidates for applications in energy-saving communica-tion,imaging,and sensing networks.

A review on plasmonic enhancement of activity and selectivity in electrocatalytic CO_(2)reduction

Utilizing plasmonic effects to assist electrochemical reactions exhibits a huge potential in tuning the reaction activities and product selectivity,which is most appealing especially in chemical reactions with multiple products,such as CO_(2)reduction reaction(CO_(2)RR).However,a comprehensive review of the development and the underlying mechanisms in plasmon-assisted electrocatalytic CO_(2)RR remains few and far between.Herein,the fundamentals of localized surface plasmonic resonance(LSPR)excitation and the properties of typical plasmonic metals(including Au,Ag,and Cu)are retrospected.Subsequently,the potential mechanisms of plasmonic effects(such as hot carrier effects and photothermal effects)on the reaction performance in the field of plasmon-assisted electrocatalytic CO_(2)RR are summarized,which provides directions for the future development of this field.It is concluded that plasmonic catalysts exhibit potential capabilities in enhancing CO_(2)RR while more in situ techniques are essential to further clarify the inner mechanisms.

A Bi/BiOI/(BiO)_2CO_3 heterostructure for enhanced photocatalytic NO removal under visible light

Narrow-band BiOI photocatalysts usually suffer from low photocatalysis efficiency under visible light exposure because of rapid charge recombination. In this work, to overcome this deficiency of photosensitive BiOI, oxygen vacancies, Bi particles, and Bi2O2CO3 were co-induced in BiOI via a facile in situ assembly method at room temperature using NaBH4 as the reducing agent. In the synthesized ternary Bi/BiOI/(BiO)2CO3, the oxygen vacancies, dual heterojunctions (i.e., Bi/BiOI and Bi- OI/(BiO)2CO3), and surface plasmon resonance effect of the Bi particles contributed to efficient electron-hole separation and an increase in charge carrier concentration, thus boosting the overall visible light photocatalysis efficiency. The as-prepared catalysts were applied for the removal of NO in concentrations of parts per billion from air in continuous air flow under visible light illumination. Bi/BiOI/(BiO)2CO3 exhibited a highly enhanced NO removal ratio of 50.7%, much higher than that of the pristine BiOI (1.2%). Density functional theory calculations and experimental results revealed that the Bi/BiOI/(BiO)2CO3 composites promoted the production of reactive oxygen species for photocatalytic NO oxidation. Thus, this work provides a new strategy to modify narrow-band semiconductors and explore other bismuth-containing heterostructured visible-light-driven photocatalysts.

Novel indirect Z-scheme g-C3N4/Bi2MoO6/Bi hollow microsphere heterojunctions with SPR-promoted visible absorption and highly enhanced photocatalytic performance

The surface plasmonic resonance(SPR)effect of Bi can effectively improve the light absorption abilities and photogenerated charge carrier separation rate.In this study,a novel ternary heterojunction of g-C3N4/Bi2MoO6/Bi(CN/BMO/Bi)hollow microsphere was successfully fabricated through solvothermal and in situ reduction methods.The results revealed that the optimal ternary 0.4 CN/BMO/9 Bi photocatalyst exhibited the highest photocatalytic efficiency toward rhodamine B(RhB)degradation with nine times that of pure BMO.The DRS and valence band of the X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy spectrum demonstrate that the band structure of 0.4 CN/BMO/9 Bi is a z-scheme structure.Quenching experiments also provided solid evidence that the·O^2-(at-0.33 eV)is the main species during dye degradation,and the conduction band of g-C3N4 is only the reaction site,demonstrating that the transfer of photogenerated charge carriers of g-C3N4/Bi2 MoO 6/Bi is through an indirect z-scheme structure.Thus,the enhanced photocatalytic performance was mainly ascribed to the synergetic effect of heterojunction structures between g-C3N4 and Bi2MoO6 and the SPR effect of Bi doping,resulting in better optical absorption ability and a lower combination rate of photogenerated charge carriers.The findings in this work provide insight into the synergism of heterostructures and the SPR absorption ability in wastewater treatment.

Surface plasmon-enhanced dual-band infrared absorber for VO_x-based microbolometer application

We propose a periodic structure as an extra absorption layer（i.e., absorber） based on surface plasmon resonance effects, enhancing dual-band absorption in both middle wavelength infrared（MWIR） and long wavelength infrared（LWIR）regions. Periodic gold disks are selectively patterned onto the top layer of suspended SiN/VO_2/SiN sandwich-structure.We employ the finite element method to model this structure in COMSOL Multiphysics including a proposed method of modulating the absorption peak. Simulation results show that the absorber has two absorption peaks at wavelengths λ =4.8 μm and λ = 9 μm with the absorption magnitudes more than 0.98 and 0.94 in MWIR and LWIR regions, respectively. In addition, the absorber achieves broad spectrum absorption in LWIR region, in the meanwhile, tunable dual-band absorption peaks can be achieved by variable heights of cavity as well as diameters and periodicity of disk. Thus, this designed absorber can be a good candidate for enhancing the performance of dual band uncooled infrared detector, furthermore, the manufacturing process of cavity can be easily simplified so that the reliability of such devices can be improved.

Plasmonic gold nanoshell induced spectral effects and refractive index sensing properties of excessively tilted fiber grating

We demonstrate a fiber refractive index（RI） sensor based on an excessively tilted fiber grating（ExTFG）immobilized by large-size plasmonic gold nanoshells（GNSs）. The GNSs are covalently linked on ExTFG surface.Experimental results demonstrate that both the intensity of the transverse magnetic（TM） and transverse electric（TE） modes of ExTFG are significantly modulated by the localized surface plasmon resonance（LSPR） of GNSs due to the wide-range absorption band. The wavelength RI sensitivities of the TM and TE modes in the low RI range of 1.333–1.379 are improved by ～25% and ～14% after GNSs immobilization, respectively, and the intensity RI sensitivities are ～599%/RIU and ～486%/RIU, respectively.

Sputtered gold nanoparticles enhanced quantum dot light-emitting diodes

Surface plasmonic effects of metallic particles have been known to be an effective method to improve the perfor- mances of light emitting didoes. In this work, we report the sputtered Au nanoparticles enhanced electroluminescence in inverted quantum dot light emitting diodes （ITO/Au NPs/ZnMgO/QDs/TFB/PEDOT：PSS/A1）. By combining the time- resolved photoluminescence, transient electroluminescence, and ultraviolet photoelectron spectrometer measurements, the enhancement of the internal field enhanced exciton coupling to surface plasmons and the electron injection rate increasing with Au nanoparticles＇ incorporation can be explained. Phenomenological numerical calculations indicate that the electron mobility of the electron transport layer increases from 1.39 ×10-5 cm2/V-s to 1.91 ×10-5 cm2/V-s for Au NPs modified device. As a result, the maximum device luminescence is enhanced by 1.41 fold （from 14600 cd/cm2 to 20720 cd/cm2） and maximum current efficiency is improved by 1.29 fold （from 3.12 cd/A to 4.02 cd/A）.

Surface Plasmon and Fabry-Perot Enhanced Magneto-Optical Kerr Effect in Graphene Microribbons

A single sheet of graphene exhibits the ability to turn polarization of light by several degrees in modest magnetic fields. Here we demonstrate that giant angle rotation in graphene in the terahertz range can be realized and further increased by the introduction of surface plasmon and constructive Fabry Perot interference with the supporting substrate. The maximum Kerr rotation angle is up to 15° in a single layer of graphene ribbons at 6 TPIz for the applied magnetic field 4 T. Such a magnification in magneto-optical Kerr effect can be realized in a fairly large incident angle.

界面工程与等离激元效应协同作用增强的ZnO微米线同质结自驱动紫外探测器

高灵敏度的自驱动紫外探测器在许多应用中都大有可为.本研究提出了一种一维ZnO基同结光电探测器,它包括表面覆盖着Ag纳米线的锑掺杂ZnO微米线(AgNWs@ZnO:Sb MW)、MgO缓冲纳米层和ZnO薄膜.该探测器在0 V偏压下对紫外光非常敏感,其性能参数包括约7个量级的开关比、292.2 mA W^(-1)的响应度、6.9×10^(13)Jones的比探测率,以及微秒量级的快速响应速度(上升时间16.4μs,下降时间465.1μs).特别是10μW cm^(-2)的微弱紫外光时接近99.3%的外量子效率.此外,本文系统研究了MgO纳米薄膜和表面修饰AgNWs对探测器件性能增强的机理.作为自驱动光接收器,该光电二极管被进一步集成到能够实时传输信息的紫外通信系统中.此外,基于AgNWs@p-ZnO:Sb MW/i-MgO/n-ZnO的同质结9×9阵列显示出均匀的光响应分布,可用作具有良好空间分辨率的成像传感器.这项研究有望为设计高性能紫外光检测器提供一条具有低功耗和可大规模建造的途径.

Plasmon-enhanced self-powered GaN/ZnTe core/shell nanopillar array photodetector

Nanostructure photodetectors,as the core component of optoelectronic devices,are mainly focused on the precise preparation of mixed-component nano-heterostructures and the realization of zero power consumption devices.Herein,we successfully fabricated n-GaN/p-ZnTe core/shell nanopillar array and realized self-power ultraviolet/violet photodetection.The radial heterojunction nanodevice reveals high light-dark current ratio of 104 at 0 V bias,indicating effective carriers’separation.And more,by integrating plasmonic effect,the responsivity and detectivity of the Au nanoparticles decorated device are increased from 3.85 to 148.83 mA/W and 4.45×1011 to 2.33×1012 Jones under 325 nm UV light irradiation.While the rise and the fall time are decreased 1.3 times and 6.8 times under 520 nm visible light irradiation at 0 V bias.The high photocurrent gain is derived from that the oscillating high-energy hot electrons in Au nanoparticles spontaneously inject into the ZnTe conduction band to involve the photodetection process.This work presents an effective route to prepare high-performance self-power photodetector and provides a promising blueprint to realize different functional photoelectronic devices based on core/shell nanostructure.

Surface plasmonic effect and scattering effect of Au nanorods on the performance of polymer bulk heterojunction solar cells

The surface plasmonic effect and scattering effect of gold nanorods(AuNRs) on the performance of bulk heterojunction photovoltaic devices based on the blend of polythiophene and fullerene are investigated.AuNRs enhance the excitation since the plasmonic effect increases the electric field,mainly in the area near the interface between the active layer and AuNRs.The results show that the incident photo-to-electron conversion efficiency(IPCE) obviously increases for the device with a layer of gold nanorods,resulting from the plasmonic effect of AuNRs in the range of 500-670 nm and the scattering effect in the range of 370-410 nm.The power conversion efficiency(PCE) is increased by 7.6% due to the near field effect of the localized surface plasmons(LSP) of AuNRs and the scattering effect.The short circuit current density is also increased by 9.1% owing to the introduction of AuNRs.However,AuNRs can cause a little deterioration in open circuit voltage.

Recent advances in plasmonic organic photovoltaics

Light trapping based on the localized surface-plasmon resonance(LSPR)effect of metallic nanostructures is a promising strategy to improve the device performance of organic solar cells(OSCs).We review recent advances in plasmonic-enhanced OPVs with solution-processed metallic nanoparticles(NPs).The different types of metallic NPs(sizes,shapes,and hybrids),incorporation positions,and NPs with tunable resonance wavelengths toward broadband enhancement are systematically summarized to give a guideline for the realization of highly efficient plasmonic photovoltaics.

Highly ordered Janus CdS-Au-TiO_(2) Z-scheme structure with high efficiency in photocatalysis

Precise structural control had attracted tremendous interest in nanosynthesis due to its great importance in tailoring the physical properties of nanomaterials.Here we report the synthesis of highly ordered Cd S-Au-TiO_(2) ternary Janus structure via templateprotected sequential growth and conversion method.Arising from the integration of the rectification effect of Au-CdS and AuTiO_(2) Schottky barriers,the Janus configuration of the Cd S-TiO_(2) domains,the plasmonic effect of Au nanosphere,and the Zscheme charge transportation,the Cd S-Au-TiO_(2) Janus structure showed high efficiency in the model photocatalytic degradation of methyl orange(MO)dye.Importantly,the well-defined structural order allowed the identification of the correlation between the structure and the catalytic performance.We believe that the synthetic control and the mechanism insights would help the design and synthesis of sophisticated nanostructures,and would eventually promote their applications in photocatalysis fields.

Emergence of photoluminescence on bulk MoS2 by laser thinning and gold particle decoration

We demonstrate a facile and effective approach to significantly improve the photoluminescence of bulk MoS2 via laser thinning followed by gold particle decoration. Upon laser thinning of exfoliated bulk MoSz photoluminescence emerges from the laser-thinned region. After further treatment with an AuCl3 solution, gold particles self-assemble on the laser-thinned region and thick edges, further increasing the fluorescence of bulk MoS2 28 times and the Raman response 3 times. Such fluorescence enhancement can be attributed to both surface plasmon resonance and p-type doping induced by gold particles. The combination of laser thinning and AuCl3 treatment enables the functionalization of bulk MoS2 for optoelectronic applications. It can also provide a viable strategy for mask-free and area-selective p-type doping on single MoS2 flakes.

Novel advances in metal-based solar absorber for photothermal vapor generation

Access to safe drinking water has become an extremely urgent research topic wo rldwide.In recent years,the technology of solar vapor generation has been extensively explored as a potential and effective strategy of transforming elements content in seawater.In this review,the basic concepts and theories of metal-based photothermal vapor generation device(PVGD) with excellent optical and thermal regulatory are introduced.In the view of optical regulation,how to achieve high-efficiency localized evaporation in different evaporation system(i.e.,volumetric solar heating and interface solar heating) is discussed;from the aspect of thermal regulation,the importance of selective absorption surface for interfacial PVGD is analyzed.Based on the above discussion and analysis,we summarize the challenges of metal-based desalination device.

In situ grown TiN/N-TiO_(2)composite for enhanced photocatalytic H_(2)evolution activity

Titanium nitride(TiN)decorated N-doped titania(N-TiO_(2))composite(TiN/N-TiO_(2))is fabricated via an in situ nitridation using a hydrothermally synthesized TiO_(2)and melamine(MA)as raw materials.After the optimization of the reaction condition,the resultant TiN/NTiO_(2)composite delivers a hydrogen evolution activity of up to 703μmol/h under the full spectrum irradiation of Xelamp,which is approximately 2.6 and 32.0 times more than that of TiO_(2)and TiN alone,respectively.To explore the underlying photocatalytic mechanism,the crystal phase,morphology,light absorption,energy band structure,element composition,and electrochemical behavior of the composite material are characterized and analyzed.The results indicate that the superior activity is mainly caused by the in situ formation of plasmonic TiN and N-TiO_(2)with intimate interface contact,which not only extends the spectral response range,but also accelerates the transfer and separation of the photoexcited hot charge carrier of TiN.The present study provides a fascinating approach to in situ forming nonmetallic plasmonic material/N-doped TiO_(2)composite photocatalysts for high-efficiency water splitting.

Enhanced spin Hall effect of reflected light with guided-wave surface plasmon resonance

The photonic spin Hall effect(SHE) has been intensively studied and widely applied, especially in spin photonics.However, the SHE is weak and is difficult to detect directly. In this paper, we propose a method to enhance SHE with the guided-wave surface-plasmon resonance(SPR). By covering a dielectric with high refractive index on the surface of silver film, the photonic SHE can be greatly enhanced, and a giant transverse shift of horizontal polarization state is observed due to the evanescent field enhancement near the interface at the top dielectric layer and air. The maximum transverse shift of the horizontal polarization state with 11.5 μm is obtained when the thickness of Si film is optimum. There is at least an order of magnitude enhancement in contrast with the transverse shift in the conventional SPR configuration. Our research is important for providing an effective way to improve the photonic SHE and may offer the opportunity to characterize the parameters of the dielectric layer with the help of weak measurements and development of sensors based on the photonic SHE.

Highly efficient and stable solid-state fiber dye-sensitized solar cells with Ag-decorated SiO_(2) nanoparticles

Fiber-shaped dye-sensitized solar cells(FDSSCs)represent promising futuristic flexible or wearable power sources,owing to their simple fabrication process,light weight,weavability,and wearability.Along with strategies on changing the properties of semiconductor materials,the effects of incorporating silver-embedded SiO_(2) nanoparticles(Ag@SiO_(2)NPs)on the photoanodes of solid-state FDSSCs(SS-FDSSCs)are investigated.The power conversion efficiency(PCE)of SS-FDSSCs with Ag@SiO_(2) NPs reaches 5.38%,which is comparable to the reference(3.98%).The PCEs remain at 95%between-16.9 and 91.7℃,indicating the operational stability of SS-FDSSCs within this temperature range.The fabricated SS-FDSSCs,whose radii were 2 mm,maintains more than 90%of their efficiency over 500 bending cycles and 10 washing cycles.