Plasmonic Effect Promoted Solar Water Splitting for Hydrogen Production

Abstract

[Introduction] One of the most appealing way to develop clean energy and promote a low-carbon economy is by directly converting sunlight into storable chemcial energy as hydrogen via solar water splitting. This paper summarizes the mechanistic understanding of plasmonic enhancement for photocatalytic water splitting to promote its practical application. [Method] A great deal of attention has been focused on the specific mechanism about the plasmonic effect during the photocatalytic water splitting reaction process, demonstrating the significant roles of plasmonic particles in enhancing sunlight absorption, exploiting entire solar spectrum, promoting photogenerated charge separation, increasing thermodynamic energy of charge carriers, as well as providing active sites for water splitting. [Result] The recent advances and prospects for future developments regarding the promotion of plasmonic effect on solar water splitting for hydrogen production has been presented. [Conclusion] Based on the plasmonic solar water splitting, great efforts on increasing the efficiency and stability of the photocatalysts are needed from researchers with different disciplines to make breakthroughs.

Keywords

• photocatalytic water splitting for hydrogen production
• plasmonic effect
• photocatalyst
• efficient charge carrier utilization