Plasmonic nanocatalysis for solar energy harvesting and sustainable chemistry

Surface plasmons, the collective oscillations of free electrons, are now being extensively taken advantage of in the field of heterogeneous catalysis, where surface plasmon resonance (SPR) can produce huge electromagnetic (EM) fields and thermal hotspots. Plasmonic nanocatalysis offers unique ways of increasing catalytic performances, product selectivity and catalyst stability. This review discusses plasmon-assisted nanocatalysis for reduction, oxidation, coupling, H-2 generation, CO2 reduction and degradation reactions. The majority of the results reviewed reveal that plasmon assisted catalysis has the potential for developing sustainable catalytic processes.