Probing hot electron flow generated on Pt nanoparticles with Au/TiO2 Schottky diodes during catalytic CO oxidation

Hot electron flow generated on colloid platinum nanoparticles during exothermic catalytic carbon monoxide oxidation was directly detected with Au/TiO2 diodes. Although Au/TiO2 diodes are not catalytically active, platinum nanoparticles on Au/TiO2 exhibit both chemicurrent and catalytic turnover rate. Hot electrons are generated on the surface of the metal nanoparticles and go over the Schottky energy barrier between Au and TiO2. The continuous Au layer ensures that the metal nanoparticles are electrically connected to the device. The overall thickness of the metal assembly (nanoparticles and Au thin film) is comparable to the mean free path of hot electrons, resulting in ballistic transport through the metal. The chemicurrent and chemical reactivity of nanoparticles with citrate, hexadecylamine, hexadecylthiol, and TTAB (tetradecyltrimethylammonium bromide) capping agents were measured during catalytic CO oxidation at pressures of 100 Torr O2 and 40 Torr CO at 373-513 K. We found that chemicurrent yield varies with each capping agent but always decreases with increasing temperature. We suggest that this inverse temperature dependence is associated with the influence of charging effects due to the organic capping layer during hot electron transport through the metal-oxide interface.