Utilizing Interband Transitions in Non-Noble Metal Nanoparticles for Sustainable Photocatalysis

When moving from noble to non-noble metals, the localized surface plasmon resonances of metallic nanoparticles become less distinctive, but the photo-induced interband transitions are strong and accessible in the visible region. Interband transitions in metallic nanoparticles have recently gained more attention for photocatalysis due to the unique properties of the corresponding hot carriers. It is desirable to explore interband transitions in non-noble metal nanoparticles for photocatalysis. It is also important to transition from utilizing precious (such as Au, Pd) to affordable (Co, Bi) metals for their cost effectiveness, strong light absorption, reasonable stability, and interesting electronic properties for photocatalysis. In this talk, I will share some promising photocatalytic activities of Co-B alloy and Bi nanoparticles in some model reactions and compare their peformance to Au and Pd nanoparticles.