(Plasmonic gold core)@(ultrathin ruthenium shell) nanostructures as antenna-reactor photocatalysts toward nitrogen photofixation

Abstract

Ruthenium (Ru) is known as the optimal metal catalyst for ammonia (NH₃) synthesis, but the poor light-harvesting capability restricts its application in photocatalysis. Herein, we construct an antenna-reactor nanostructure through the controllable growth of an ultrathin Ru nanocluster shell with desired catalytic activity on the plasmonic gold (Au) nanoantennas. In this nanostructure, Au nanoantennas interact strongly with light to generate hot carriers, meanwhile Ru nanoclusters adsorb and activate N₂, leading to the reduction of N₂ to NH₃ by the generated hot electrons. This antenna-reactor plasmonic photocatalyst exhibits shell-thickness-dependent photocatalytic activity toward nitrogen (N₂) photofixation under visible and near-infrared light illumination.