Optimizing the Photoelectrocatalytic Performance of Ag NS@SiO2@Cu2O Nanocomposites Through Microstructural Tuning Based on the Plasmonic Induced Resonance Energy Transfer

IF 2.3 4区化学 Q3 CHEMISTRY, PHYSICAL Catalysis Letters Pub Date : 2025-02-17 DOI:10.1007/s10562-025-04936-7

Xiuqing Wang, Ruiyao Yan, Jianyu Fu, Yan He, Jiahuan Zheng, Liu Liu, Na Zhou

{"title":"Optimizing the Photoelectrocatalytic Performance of Ag NS@SiO2@Cu2O Nanocomposites Through Microstructural Tuning Based on the Plasmonic Induced Resonance Energy Transfer","authors":"Xiuqing Wang, Ruiyao Yan, Jianyu Fu, Yan He, Jiahuan Zheng, Liu Liu, Na Zhou","doi":"10.1007/s10562-025-04936-7","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div>The practical application of Cu2O in the field of photoelectrocatalytic (PEC) hydrogen production has been limited by its relatively low photoconversion efficiency and electron mobility. Plasmonic metal nanoparticles have been utilized to enhance the charge separation of semiconductors through resonance energy transfer from metal nanoparticles to semiconductors. In this study, Ag nanosphere (Ag NS)@SiO2 were combined with Cu2O to form triple core–shell nanocomposites, aiming to enhance the photoelectrochemical activity of Cu2O under visible-light irradiation. The microstructures of the Ag@SiO2@Cu2O nanocomposites were regulated by controlling the thickness of SiO2 interlay and Cu2O shell in order to optimize the PEC efficiency. It was found that Ag NS@SiO2 (5 nm)@Cu2O (29 nm) NCs exhibited the highest photocurrent intensity, showing 3.3 times, 11.9 times, and 17.8 times higher values than pure Cu2O, pure Ag NS, and AgNS@SiO2 NPs respectively. Furthermore, the photoelectrocatalytic hydrogen production velocity of Ag NS@SiO2 (5 nm)@Cu2O (29 nm) NCs was around 25 mmol·g−1·h−1, which has been improved around 4.2 times compared to pure Cu2O. This enhanced performance is attributed to plasmon-induced resonance energy transfer from Ag metal nanoparticles to Cu2O semiconductor, which may improve the separation efficiency of electron–hole pairs and lead higher photoelectrocatalytic efficiency.<h3>Graphic Abstract</h3><div><figure><div><div><picture><source><img></source></picture></div></div></figure></div>The Ag NS@SiO2 was integrated with Cu2O to form triple core–shell nanocomposites, aiming to enhance the photoelectrochemical activity of Cu2O under visible-light irradiation through plasmon-induced resonance energy transfer from Ag to Cu2O. And their photoelectrocatalytic performances were optimized by controlling the thickness of SiO2 interlay and Cu2O shell. Ag NS@SiO2 (5 nm)@Cu2O (29 nm) NCs exhibited superior photocurrent intensity and enhanced photoelectrocatalytic hydrogen production rate compared to pure Cu2O.</div>","PeriodicalId":508,"journal":{"name":"Catalysis Letters","volume":"155 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.3000,"publicationDate":"2025-02-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Catalysis Letters","FirstCategoryId":"92","ListUrlMain":"https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10562-025-04936-7","RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q3","JCRName":"CHEMISTRY, PHYSICAL","Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Abstract

The practical application of Cu₂O in the field of photoelectrocatalytic (PEC) hydrogen production has been limited by its relatively low photoconversion efficiency and electron mobility. Plasmonic metal nanoparticles have been utilized to enhance the charge separation of semiconductors through resonance energy transfer from metal nanoparticles to semiconductors. In this study, Ag nanosphere (Ag NS)@SiO₂ were combined with Cu₂O to form triple core–shell nanocomposites, aiming to enhance the photoelectrochemical activity of Cu₂O under visible-light irradiation. The microstructures of the Ag@SiO₂@Cu₂O nanocomposites were regulated by controlling the thickness of SiO₂ interlay and Cu₂O shell in order to optimize the PEC efficiency. It was found that Ag NS@SiO₂ (5 nm)@Cu₂O (29 nm) NCs exhibited the highest photocurrent intensity, showing 3.3 times, 11.9 times, and 17.8 times higher values than pure Cu₂O, pure Ag NS, and AgNS@SiO₂ NPs respectively. Furthermore, the photoelectrocatalytic hydrogen production velocity of Ag NS@SiO₂ (5 nm)@Cu₂O (29 nm) NCs was around 25 mmol·g⁻¹·h⁻¹, which has been improved around 4.2 times compared to pure Cu₂O. This enhanced performance is attributed to plasmon-induced resonance energy transfer from Ag metal nanoparticles to Cu₂O semiconductor, which may improve the separation efficiency of electron–hole pairs and lead higher photoelectrocatalytic efficiency.

Graphic Abstract

The Ag NS@SiO₂ was integrated with Cu₂O to form triple core–shell nanocomposites, aiming to enhance the photoelectrochemical activity of Cu₂O under visible-light irradiation through plasmon-induced resonance energy transfer from Ag to Cu₂O. And their photoelectrocatalytic performances were optimized by controlling the thickness of SiO₂ interlay and Cu₂O shell. Ag NS@SiO₂ (5 nm)@Cu₂O (29 nm) NCs exhibited superior photocurrent intensity and enhanced photoelectrocatalytic hydrogen production rate compared to pure Cu₂O.

查看原文

微信好友朋友圈 QQ好友复制链接

本刊更多论文

求助全文

约1分钟内获得全文去求助

来源期刊

Catalysis Letters 化学-物理化学

CiteScore

5.70

自引率

3.60%

发文量

327

审稿时长

1 months

期刊介绍： Catalysis Letters aim is the rapid publication of outstanding and high-impact original research articles in catalysis. The scope of the journal covers a broad range of topics in all fields of both applied and theoretical catalysis, including heterogeneous, homogeneous and biocatalysis. The high-quality original research articles published in Catalysis Letters are subject to rigorous peer review. Accepted papers are published online first and subsequently in print issues. All contributions must include a graphical abstract. Manuscripts should be written in English and the responsibility lies with the authors to ensure that they are grammatically and linguistically correct. Authors for whom English is not the working language are encouraged to consider using a professional language-editing service before submitting their manuscripts.