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Mechanistic Understanding of the Plasmonic Enhancement for Solar Water Splitting
Author(s) -
Zhang Peng,
Wang Tuo,
Gong Jinlong
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
advanced materials
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 10.707
H-Index - 527
eISSN - 1521-4095
pISSN - 0935-9648
DOI - 10.1002/adma.201500888
Subject(s) - plasmon , materials science , water splitting , semiconductor , heterojunction , optoelectronics , solar energy , absorption (acoustics) , photocatalysis , doping , nanotechnology , engineering physics , physics , chemistry , electrical engineering , biochemistry , composite material , catalysis , engineering
H 2 generation by solar water splitting is one of the most promising solutions to meet the increasing energy demands of the fast developing society. However, the efficiency of solar‐water‐splitting systems is still too low for practical applications, which requires further enhancement via different strategies such as doping, construction of heterojunctions, morphology control, and optimization of the crystal structure. Recently, integration of plasmonic metals to semiconductor photocatalysts has been proved to be an effective way to improve their photocatalytic activities. Thus, in‐depth understanding of the enhancement mechanisms is of great importance for better utilization of the plasmonic effect. This review describes the relevant mechanisms from three aspects, including: i) light absorption and scattering; ii) hot‐electron injection and iii) plasmon‐induced resonance energy transfer (PIRET). Perspectives are also proposed to trigger further innovative thinking on plasmonic‐enhanced solar water splitting.