Plasmon-Driven Synthesis of Cu Nanostructures

Plasmonic photochemistry holds great promise for optical control of materials growth at the nanoscale. To date, however, this unique approach to the synthesis of monometallic metal nanostructures remains restricted to just two elements: silver (Ag) and gold (Au). Here, we report the plasmon-driven synthesis of copper (Cu) nanostructures in aqueous solution via seed-mediated growth. The entire synthesis was conducted under an inert atmosphere, with precise control over solution pH and reaction temperature to prevent oxide formation. We found that the growth of triangular and hexagonal Cu nanoprisms was determined by the concentration of the surfactant polyvinylpyrrolidone in the growth solution. A series of photochemical experiments and control reactions were also performed to confirm that the growth of Cu nanostructures occurs via plasmonic photocatalysis. Our approach offers a unique route to the growth of Cu nanostructures and expands the domain of plasmon-driven synthesis to a new element in the periodic table.