Tuning the (magneto)optical properties of supported plasmonic metal catalysts towards high performance and stability in photo(electro)catalytic water splitting

光（电）催化水分解过程的氢气和氧气的帮助下，阳光具有很高的潜力，有助于解决全球能源问题。迄今已知的多相光催化体系缺乏对可见光的有效利用和不足的活性。为了克服这些问题，本提案的主要任务是开发新型半导体/等离子体激元金属催化剂。潜在的表面等离子体共振效应是一个强大的工具，有可能实现这两个，红移的吸收边以及增加的活性位点的数量，同时。催化效率的进一步提高将通过实施额外的金属助催化剂来实现。在一个迭代过程中，催化剂的开发将伴随着电子转移过程的光诱导动力学的详细调查，在真实的时间，以及不同的催化剂组分的作用，通过国家的最先进的光谱原位方法，包括超快瞬态技术。为了更好地理解化学过程的调查将首先集中在两个半反应应用牺牲试剂。值得注意的是，这些模型研究将通过在催化测试和光谱原位研究期间提供偏置电压来扩展。因此，将开发基于半导体/等离子体激元金属催化剂的更有效和实用的水裂解装置。

Photo(electro)catalytic water splitting processes to hydrogen and oxygen with the help of sunlight possess a high potential to contribute to solutions to the global energy problem. So far known heterogeneous photocatalytic systems lack inefficient utilization of visible light and insufficient activities. To overcome these problems the main task of this proposal is the development of novel semiconductor/plasmon metal catalysts. The underlying surface plasmon resonance effect is a powerful tool with the potential to achieve both, the red shifted absorption edge as well as the increase of number of active sites, simultaneously. Further improvement of the catalytic efficiency will be achieved by implementation of additional metal co-catalysts. In an iterative process the catalyst development will be accompanied by detailed investigations of the light-induced dynamics of electron transfer processes in real time as well as the role of different catalyst components by state-of-the-art spectroscopic in situ methods, including ultrafast transient techniques. For better understanding of the chemical processes investigations will focus initially onto the two half reactions applying sacrificial reagents. Notably, these model studies will be extended by supplying a bias voltage during catalytic tests and spectroscopic in situ studies. Thus, a more efficient and practical water splitting device based on semiconductor/plasmon metal catalysts will be developed.