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Au@Nb@H <sub>x</sub> K<sub>1-x</sub>NbO<sub>3</sub> nanopeapods with near-infrared active plasmonic hot-electron injection for water splitting.

Author
Abstract
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Full-spectrum utilization of diffusive solar energy by a photocatalyst for environmental remediation and fuel generation has long been pursued. In contrast to tremendous efforts in the UV-to-VIS light regime of the solar spectrum, the NIR and IR areas have been barely addressed although they represent about 50% of the solar flux. Here we put forward a biomimetic photocatalyst blueprint that emulates the growth pattern of a natural plant-a peapod-to address this issue. This design is exemplified via unidirectionally seeding core-shell Au@Nb nanoparticles in the cavity of semiconducting H x K1-xNbO3 nanoscrolls. The biomimicry of this nanopeapod (NPP) configuration promotes near-field plasmon-plasmon coupling between bimetallic Au@Nb nanoantennas (the peas), endowing the UV-active H x K1-xNbO3 semiconductor (the pods) with strong VIS and NIR light harvesting abilities. Moreover, the characteristic 3D metal-semiconductor junction of the Au@Nb@H x K1-xNbO3 NPPs favors the transfer of plasmonic hot carriers to trigger dye photodegradation and water photoelectrolysis as proofs-of-concept. Such broadband solar spectral response renders the Au@Nb@H x K1-xNbO3 NPPs highly promising for widespread photoactive devices.

Year of Publication
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2018
Journal
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Nature communications
Volume
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9
Issue
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1
Number of Pages
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232
Date Published
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2018
URL
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41467-017-02676-w
DOI
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10.1038/s41467-017-02676-w
Short Title
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Nat Commun
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