Core-Shell and Yolk-Shell Plasmonic Nanocrystals for Hydrogen Production

With the inherently high degree of complexity, heterostructures composed of two or more materials joined in unique architectures may exhibit superior synergetic properties that are difficult or impossible to acquire from their individual constituents. For semiconductor heterostructures, the relative band alignment of the constituents promotes effective charge separation to bring them desirable properties for photocatalysis applications. Among the different types of heterostructures, core-shell and yolk-shell nanocrystals have received particular interest due to their fascinating properties. Several representative works from our lab will be introduced to demonstrate the promising potentials of core-shell and yolk-shell nanocrystals for hydrogen production applications, especially those involving localized surface plasmon resonance.