Optimising catalyst performance by tuning adsorption with light

该项目旨在利用可见光控制反应物在催化剂表面的吸附，以加速反应和调节产品选择性。等离子体金属纳米颗粒的可见光照射可以产生一种力，将反应物吸引到催化剂中的纳米颗粒上，并导致其他类型的反应物从颗粒中解吸。这些化合物选择性效应可以改变催化剂表面反应物的浓度，这是优化催化性能的新范例。该项目预计将在催化和光-物质相互作用领域开辟新的能力。预期的成果包括催化知识的显著进步和重要化学合成的新方法。

This project aims to utilize visible light to control reactant adsorption on catalyst surfaces for accelerating reactions and tuning product selectivity. Visible light irradiation of plasmonic metal nanoparticles can generate a force that attracts reactant to the nanoparticles in a catalyst, and causes desorption of other reactant-types from the particles. These compound-selective effects can alter the concentrations of reactants at the catalyst surface, a new paradigm for optimising catalytic performance. This project expects to open new capabilities within fields of catalysis and light-matter interaction. The anticipated outcomes include significant advancement of knowledge in catalysis and new approaches for important chemical synthesis.