Plasmonic Au activates anchored Pt-Si bond in Au-Pt-SiC promoting photocatalytic hydrogen production

The localized surface plasmon resonance effect (LSPR) with kinetic energies and interfacial transfer dynamics can highly improve the separation of photo-generated carriers. We demonstrate here that a plasmonic catalyst Au-Pt-SiC has been prepared by a facile reduction-photo-deposition technique. The Pt-Si bond is formed on the SiC surface to construct an excellent channel for accelerating photo-electrons transfer from SiC to Pt. The LSPR of Au with electrons-deficiency property further activates the anchored Pt-Si bond, and motivates an oriented high-efficient photo-electrons transport channel among the Au, Pt and SiC. This channel accelerates the excited electrons in SiC to transfer to cocatalysts and thus improves the photo-generated charge carriers separation. The LSPR of Au also harvests light energy efficiently to broaden the light absorption range. Consequently, the rate of photocatalytic water reduction for H-2 is enhanced to 2248.5 mu L h(-1) g(-1) in Au-Pt-SiC, 2.1 times higher than that of the individual Pt loading. (C) 2022 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Automated summary

In this study, a plasmonic catalyst Au-Pt-SiC was prepared by introducing Pt-Si bonds on the SiC surface, creating an excellent channel for efficient photo-electron transfer. The localized surface plasmon resonance effect of Au further activated the Pt-Si bonds and motivated a high-efficient photo-electron transport channel among Au, Pt, and SiC. The LSPR of Au also enhanced light absorption and broadened the range of light absorption.