Plasmon-Driven Chemistry on Mono- and Bimetallic Nanostructures

Area of Science:

• Nanotechnology
• Catalysis
• Spectroscopy

Background:

• Hot carriers generated on nanostructures can perform diverse chemical reactions.
• Localized surface plasmon resonances (LSPRs) on noble metal nanostructures, induced by light, are key to generating these hot carriers.
• Bimetallic nanostructures combining noble and catalytic metals exhibit unique light-driven catalytic activities, enabling green chemistry.

Purpose of the Study:

• To elucidate the nanoscale catalytic properties of mono- and bimetallic nanostructures.
• To understand the physical basis of their catalytic reactivity and selectivity.
• To highlight the role of tip-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (TERS) in these investigations.

Main Methods:

• Utilizing tip-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (TERS) with single-molecule sensitivity and subnanometer resolution.
• Analyzing plasmon-driven reactions on mono- and bimetallic nanostructures.
• Correlating experimental findings with theoretical results.

Main Results:

• TERS revealed that plasmonic reactivity and selectivity are governed by the catalytic metal and electric field strength.
• The interplay between catalytic and plasmonic metals critically influences catalytic properties.
• Nanoscale catalytic properties and their underlying causes are now better understood.

Conclusions:

• TERS provides unprecedented insight into nanoscale catalytic properties of bimetallic nanostructures.
• Findings enable tailored synthesis of novel nanostructures with desired catalytic functions.
• Plasmon-driven chemistry is integral to near-field microscopy and catalysis.