Journal
NANO LETTERS
Volume 16, Issue 5, Pages 3399-3407Publisher
AMER CHEMICAL SOC
DOI: 10.1021/acs.nanolett.6b01373
Keywords
Artificial photosynthesis; catalysis; localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR); electron transfer
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Funding
- National Science Foundation [NSF CHE-1455011]
- Direct For Mathematical & Physical Scien
- Division Of Chemistry [1455011] Funding Source: National Science Foundation
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The activation energy of a catalytic reaction serves not only as a metric of the efficacy of a catalyst but also as a potential indicator of mechanistic differences between the catalytic and noncatalytic reaction. However, activation energies are quite underutilized in the field of photo catalysis. We characterize in detail the effect of visible light excitation on the activation enthalpy of an electron transfer reaction photocatalyzed by plasmonic Au nanoparticles. We find that in the presence of visible light photoexcitation, the activation enthalpy of the Au nanoparticle-catalyzed electron transfer reaction is significantly reduced. The reduction in the activation enthalpy depends on the excitation wavelength, the incident laser power, and the strength of a hole scavenger. On the basis of these results, we argue that the activation enthalpy reduction is directly related to the photoelectrochemical potential built-up on the Au nanoparticle under steady-state light excitation, analogous to electrochemical activation. Under optimum light excitation conditions, a potential as high as 240 mV is measured. The findings constitute more precise insights into the mechanistic role and energetic contribution of plasmonic excitation to chemical reactions catalyzed by transition metal nanoparticles.
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