PLASMONICALLY ACTIVE NANOCOMPOSITES WITH A BIMODAL NANOPARTICLE SIZE DISTRIBUTION

摘要

A self-regenerative metal nanocomposite comprised of a bimodal distribution of metal nanoparticles (NPs) with a metal oxide surrounding is introduced as a new type of plasmonic catalyst through a physical method. Methods of forming such nanocomposites are also disclosed. The support-free catalyst shows plentiful surface adsorbed oxygen species along with excellent localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) and appreciable photoluminescence (PL). The combination of high activity and durability of this plasmonic catalyst makes it viable for potential energy and cost-effective catalytic applications.