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(Reference retrieved automatically from Web of Science through information on FAPESP grant and its corresponding number as mentioned in the publication by the authors.)

On the Effect of Native SiO2 on Si over the SPR-mediated Photocatalytic Activities of Au and Ag Nanoparticles

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Author(s):
Wang, Jiale ; de Freitas, Isabel C. ; Alves, Tiago V. ; Ando, Romulo A. ; Fang, Zebo ; Camargo, Pedro H. C.
Total Authors: 6
Document type: Journal article
Source: CHEMISTRY-A EUROPEAN JOURNAL; v. 23, n. 30, p. 7185-7190, MAY 29 2017.
Web of Science Citations: 5
Abstract

In hybrid materials containing plasmonic nanoparticles such as Au and Ag, charge-transfer processes from and to Au or Ag can affect both activities and selectivity in plasmonic catalysis. Inspired by the widespread utilization of commercial Si wafers in surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) studies, we investigated herein the effect of the native SiO2 layer on Si wafers over the surface plasmon resonance (SPR)-mediated activities of the Au and Ag nanoparticles (NPs). We prepared SERS-active plasmonic comprised of Au and Ag NPs deposited onto a Si wafer. Here, two kinds of Si wafers were employed: Si with a native oxide surface layer (Si/SiO2) and Si without a native oxide surface layer (Si). This led to Si/SiO2/Au, Si/SiO2/Ag, Si/Au, and Si/Ag NPs. The SPR-mediated oxidation of p-aminothiophenol (PATP) to p,p'-dimercaptoazobenzene (DMAB) was employed as a model transformation. By comparing the performances and band structures for the Si/Au and Si/Ag relative to Si/SiO2/Au and Si/SiO2/Ag NPs, it was found that the presence of a SiO2 layer was crucial to enable higher SPR-mediated PATP to DMAB conversions. The SiO2 layer acts to prevent the charge transfer of SPR-excited hot electrons from Au or Ag nanoparticles to the Si substrate. This enabled SPR-excited hot electrons to be transferred to adsorbed O-2 molecules, which then participate in the selective oxidation of PATP to DMAB. In the absence of a SiO2 layer, SPR-excited hot electrons are preferentially transferred to Si instead of adsorbed O-2 molecules, leading to much lower PATP oxidation. (AU)

FAPESP's process: 15/21366-9 - HYBRID MATERIALS CONTAINING METAL NANOPARTICLES FOR CATALYTIC APPLICATIONS
Grantee:Pedro Henrique Cury Camargo
Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants