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Shell‐isolated nanostructures, consisting of an inert shell and a plasmonic core, have recently been intensively explored for biosensing, catalysis, and nanoelectronics applications owing to their functional shells and unique plasmonic properties. Such designer shell‐isolated plasmonic nanostructures possess the potential to improve the detectability of biosensors and provide powerful platforms to explore in‐depth plasmon enhancement principles and finally boost significantly their photo(electro)catalytic efficiency. In addition, such structural optimization and interface nanoengineering promote solid developments of advanced nanoelectronics toward real applications, revealing new electron transport mechanisms and enabling exploration of new functional and integrated optoelectronic devices. In this overview, the state‐of‐the‐art progresses of shell‐isolated plasmonic nanostructures (SHIPNSs) in the field of biosensing, photo(electro)catalysis, and nanoelectronics is summarized, focusing on the superiority of the core–shell materials in exploration of biosensing, catalytic enhancement mechanisms, and electron transport principles. A brief overview of synthetic methods is introduced, and then the significant importance of shell‐isolated nanomaterials in fabrication and promising direction for future development and challenges are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the ability to harness surface plasmons to promote solar‐to‐chemical energy conversion, plasmonic nanoparticles with finely‐controlled structure and optical properties hold great promise for light‐activated catalysis. Herein, we prepared a strong plasmonic nanostructure, by assembling Pd/Ag nanosheets (NSs) with varied Pd/Ag ratio onto the surface of polystyrene (PS) microsphere to form a spherical nanoassembly (NAs). The as‐prepared Pd/Ag‐PS NAs showed better photothermal performance than the precursor Pd/Ag NSs of the same concentration. More importantly, the as‐prepared Pd/Ag‐PS NAs can be used to boost light‐driven organic hydrogenation reactions, in which Pd nanocomponent acts as hydrogenation reaction active sites and Pd/Ag‐NSs can convert light efficiently into heat. Under room temperature conditions, the light‐driven catalytic hydrogenation efficiency under 50 mW/cm2 full‐spectrum irradiation proved to be comparable to that of thermally (70 °C) driven reactions. Moreover, the as‐prepared Pd/Ag‐PS NAs has better photostability than Pd/Ag NSs. The results proved that the photothermal effect rather than the transfer of hot electrons is responsible for enhanced photocatalytic hydrogenation performance. The strong plasmon coupling between closely‐packed Pd/Ag NSs enhances the electromagnetic field intensity and scattering intensity and increase Vis‐NIR light trapping and high density hot spots generation, which lead to an overall better photocatalytic efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Self-powered PEC immunoassays (AgAu/ZIF-8@ZnS@CdS), derived from MOFs-based semiconductor coupling with plasmonic AgAu bimetallic nanoshells, are designed and nano-engineered. The immunoassays exhibit superior detection ability for prostate-specific antigen because of the synergistic effect of the multi-heterostructure interfaces of ZIF-8@ZnS@CdS and enhanced electromagnetic field enabled by the MOFs-shells-encapsulated plasmonic AgAuNSs. [Display omitted] • A plasmonic hierarchical structure (AgAu/ZIF-8@ZnS@CdS) was designed. • Plasmon-promoted MOFs-based PEC immunoassays were constructed. • The PEC performance was significantly boosted due to the synergistic effect. • The immunoassays exhibited excellent sensitivity, reproducibility and stability. Benefiting from the large specific areas and versatile designability, metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) based materials open a new avenue for the design of superior catalysts, whereas their applications in sensitive detection are still in their infancy. Herein, plasmon-promoted MOFs-based photoelectrochemical (PEC) immunoassays with hierarchical structures (AgAu/ZIF-8@ZnS@CdS) are prepared via a MOFs-engaged directional deposition method and ion-exchange reaction. As a result, the hierarchical structures exhibit excellent PEC performance with reinforced light absorption and charge separation efficiency. Reaction dynamics at the electron level and spatial-resolved simulations clarify that the multi-heterostructure interfaces of ZIF-8@ZnS@CdS and the plasmonic effect of AgAu nanoshells can synergistically improve the light absorption efficiency and promote the spatial separation of the electron-hole pairs. Notably, the MOFs shells are found to dramatically enhance the electromagnetic field and prevent the decay along the radial direction, which is favorable to the charge separation and transfer. Taking prostate-specific antigen as a representative analyte, both label-free and sandwich-type self-powered immunoassays exhibit superior detection performance with limits of detection (LODs) as low as 0.11 pg·mL−1 and 0.9 fg·mL−1, respectively. This study offers a promising platform for the construction of ultrasensitive immunoassays and provides methodologies for the mechanism investigation beyond the PEC detection performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We empirically correlated the rheology of aqueous suspensions of submicron alumina powder with the concentration, structure, and molecular weight of various polysaccharides that were added to these suspensions. We focus on the question of how to increase the alumina concentration to the highest level possible and still maintain a sufficient degree of plasticity to enable shape forming by plastic molding. We showed that, without polysaccharide, 30 vol.% alumina suspensions are thixotropic. These suspensions exhibited highly fluid, Bingham-plastic-like behavior upon the addition of maltodextrins and dextrans having low molecular weight. Branching of polysaccharide additives is not beneficial for the rheology of 30 vol.% alumina suspensions and 52-vol.%-alumina-filter-cakes. We observed that maltodextrins and potato dextrin (6.6 kDa) enabled filtration of plastic masses of alumina that were easily ram pressed. These materials dried into a strong, crack-free condition that could be handled without breaking. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Quantum tunneling is the basis of molecular electronics, but often its electron transport range is too short to overcome technical defects caused by downscaling of electronic devices, which limits the development of molecular-/nano-electronics. Marrying electronics with plasmonics may well present a revolutionary way to meet this challenge as it can manipulate electron flow with plasmonics at the nanoscale. Here we report on unusually efficient temperature-independent electron transport, with some photoconductivity, across a new type of junction with active plasmonics. The junction is made by assembly of SiO2 shell-insulated Au nanoparticles (Au@SiO2 NPs) into dense nanomembranes of a few Au@SiO2 layers thick and transport is measured across these membranes. We propose that the mechanism is plasmon-enabled transport, possibly tunneling (as it is temperature-independent). Unprecedentedly ultra-long-range transport across one, up to even three layers of Au@SiO2 in the junction, with a cumulative insulating (silica) gap up to 29 nm/NP layer was achieved, well beyond the measurable limit for normal quantum mechanical tunneling across insulators (~2.5 nm at 0.5–1 V). This finding opens up a new interdisciplinary field of exploration in nanoelectronics with wide potential impact on such areas as electronic information transfer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The authors have fabricated reduced graphene oxide nanosheets (rGO) supported with Fe3O4 nanoparticles and Ag/Au hollow nanoshells. The material was placed on a glassy carbon electrode which is shown to enable highly sensitive determination of As(III) which is first preconcentrated from solution at a potential of −0.35 V (versus Ag/AgCl) for 100 s. The electrode, typically operated at a working potential as low as 0.06 V, has a linear response in the 0.1 to 20 ppb As(III) concentration range and a 0.01 ppb detection limit. The electrochemical sensitivity is 52 μA ppb−1. The high sensitivity is assumed to be the result of various synergistic effects. The method was applied to ultratrace (0.1 ppt) determination of As(III) in real water samples. Graphical abstract The hybrid displays a wide linear response in the 0.1 to 20 ppb As(III) concentration range and a 0.01 ppb detection limit. The high sensitivity is attributed to various synergistic effects. The method was applied to ultratrace determination of As(III) in real water samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. The current study sought to compare the effects of the addition of Qingshen granules to conventional Western medicine on immune function in patients with comorbid chronic renal failure and damp-heat syndrome and to explore the possible mechanisms responsible for any differences observed. Methods. Through a multicenter, randomized, controlled study, a total of 282 eligible patients were divided into experimental (n = 136) and control groups (n = 146). All of the patients were treated with conventional Western medical therapy. The experimental group also received Qingshen granules three times daily for 12 weeks. Clinical efficacy was observed in the two groups. Peripheral blood levels of CD4+ T cells, CD8+ T cells, Th17 cells, nuclear factor-κB p65 (NF-κB p65) activity, serum interleukin-17 (IL-17), serum interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), tumor necrosis factor receptor-associated factor 6 (TRAF6), fibronectin (FN), and type IV collagen (Col-IV) were detected in both groups. Results. The total clinical curative effective rate was significantly higher p < 0.05 in the experimental group (79.41%) than in the control group (67.12%). Before treatment, there were no significant differences in CD4+/CD8+ T cell ratio, Th17 cell level, NF-κB p65 activity, serum IL-17, IL-6, TNF-α, TRAF6, FN, and Col-IV between the experimental and control groups p > 0.05 ; however, all of the measures were significantly higher than those observed in a healthy comparison group (p < 0.05 or p < 0.01). After treatment, the above indexes in the experimental group were significantly lower than those before treatment (p < 0.05 or p < 0.01). Similarly, NF-κB p65 activity, serum IL-17, TNF-α, TRAF6, FN, and Col-IV in the control group were significantly lower than the levels observed prior to treatment (p < 0.05 or p < 0.01); however, while all of the other indexes were lower than those observed before treatment, the differences were not statistically significant p > 0.05 . Conclusion. Qingshen granules adjust immune dysfunction, improve immunity mediated inflammatory response, and attenuate renal fibrosis in patients with comorbid chronic renal failure and damp-heat syndrome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The search for a low‐cost, noble‐metal‐free cocatalyst to replace expensive Pt for hydrogen (H2) photogeneration in water has become a hot research topic, and among these, Ni‐based cocatalysts are promising and highly desired. Developing new strategies and protocols to obtain Ni‐based cocatalysts with high activity is therefore vitally important. Herein, we develop a new method to efficiently decorate divalent Ni onto pre‐synthesized CdS/CdSe core/shell quantum dots (QDs). The concentration of Ni on the QDs can be easily tuned by varying the amount of the Ni precursor introduced during the synthesis. Further analyses reveal that Ni2+ can be strongly decorated onto QDs. Impressively, the Ni‐decorated QDs displayed a significantly enhanced H2 photogeneration performance as compared to the two components prepared separately. Through the optimization of the Ni concentration on the QDs, the turnover frequency (TOF) with respect to Ni and quantum yield (ΦH2) at 520 nm for H2 evolution from water could reach 322 h−1 and 12.3 %, respectively. A possible mechanism has also been proposed and discussed in detail. Divalent nickel can be decorated onto CdS/CdSe core/shell quantum dots (QDs) in a controlled fashion. Under optimized conditions these QDs catalyze light‐induced H2 evolution from water with a turnover frequency of 322 h−1 with respect to Ni and a quantum yield of 12.3 % at 520 nm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rechargeable potassium (K) batteries that are of low cost, with high energy densities and long cycle lives have attracted tremendous interest in affordable and large-scale energy storage. However, the large size of the K-ion leads to sluggish reaction kinetics and causes a large volume variation during the ion insertion/extraction processes, thus hindering the utilization of active electrode materials, triggering a serious structural collapse, and deteriorating the cycling performance. Therefore, the exploration of suitable materials/hosts that can reversibly and sustainably accommodate K-ions and host K metals are urgently needed. Electrospun carbon-based materials have been extensively studied as electrode/host materials for rechargeable K batteries owing to their designable structures, tunable composition, hierarchical pores, high conductivity, large surface areas, and good flexibility. Here, we present the recent developments in electrospun CNF-based nanomaterials for various K batteries (e.g., K-ion batteries, K metal batteries, K–chalcogen batteries), including their fabrication methods, structural modulation, and electrochemical performance. This Feature Article is expected to offer guidelines for the rational design of novel electrospun electrodes for the next-generation K batteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • 2D c-MOF of Fe 3 (HITP) 2 was successfully in-situ synthesized on the surface of nickel foam by layer-by-layer self-assembly strategy. • Fe 3 (HITP) 2 /NF-15 affords prominent OER activity (overpotential of 224 mV at a current density of 10 mA·cm−1 and a Tafel slope of 45.4 mV·dec-1). • Fe 3 (HITP) 2 /NF-15 exhibited excellent catalytic stability, the current density remained at 97.3 % of the initial current density after 24 h i-t stability test. • Fe 3 (HITP) 2 /NF has abundant Fe-N 4 sites and excellent charge transfer ability, which can effectively promote the OER process. The design of high-efficient, low-cost, and stable electrocatalysts for oxygen evolution reaction (OER) is highly demanding for energy conversion applications. Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), with large surface area and flexible molecular species, can supply atom-dispersed metal active coordination sites (M−N X , M−S X , M−O X) for OER and have been regarded as potential catalysts for practical applications. However, it is still challenging to use MOFs as OER catalysts directly due to their low conductivity and poor stability. Herein, we successfully synthesized a 2D c-MOF of Fe 3 (HITP) 2 (HITP = 2,3,6,7,10,11-hexaiminotriphenylene) on the surface of nickel foam (NF) by using a layer-by-layer self-assembly strategy. The Fe 3 (HITP) 2 /NF-x electrode (x = 5, 10, 15, 20 is the number of cycles) exhibited impressive OER catalytic activity in alkaline electrolyte (1 M KOH), which is superior or comparable to most of the transition metal-based materials reported. Typically, Fe 3 (HITP) 2 /NF-15 were able to fully expose the Fe-N 4 catalytic sites with an overpotential of 224 mV at a current density of 10 mA·cm−2 and a Tafel slope of 45.4 mV·dec-1. This was mainly attributed to the higher ECSA value, better kinetic process, and fast charge transfer ability of Fe 3 (HITP) 2 /NF. In addition, the current density of Fe 3 (HITP) 2 /NF-15 remained at 97.3 % of the initial current density after 24 h i-t stability test, showing excellent catalytic stability. This work provided a novel design strategy for the direct application of MOFs to OER applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, a one-step hydrothermal method is used to synthesize Ni-doped Mn-based organic framework material (Ni-doped Mn-MOF) on NF with 1,4,5,8-naphthalenetetracarboxylic acid (NTC) as ligand. Ni doping results in a more unique structure combining nanoblocks and nanosheets, which facilitates the contact between active sites and electrolyte ions and enhances electrochemical performance. Acting as the electrode material of supercapacitors, Ni-doped Mn-MOF shows a specific capacity of 779.6 C g−1 and a specific capacitance of 1676.6 F g−1 at 1 A g−1. Besides, the retention rate reaches as high as 75.9% after 10,000 cycles at 10 A g−1. Meanwhile, the as-prepared Ni-doped Mn-MOF//AC device shows a high specific capacitance of 361 C g−1 (225.6 F g−1) at 8 A g−1. By the way, the device exhibits an energy density of 74.75 Wh kg−1 at a power density of 7985.16 W kg−1 with 70.6% specific capacitance retention after 10,000 consecutive charge–discharge cycles at 10 A g−1. The ease of composite manufacturing demonstrates that Ni-doped Mn-MOF has potential applications as electrode materials for supercapacitor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To compare the efficacy and prognosis of reverse total shoulder arthroplasty (rTSA) with shoulder hemiarthroplasty (SHA) using devitalized autograft or allograft composite reconstruction after proximal humeral tumor resection. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed patients who underwent SHA (32) and rTSA (20) for tumor resections of the proximal humerus from January 2014 to July 2020. The clinical results included duration of the operation, intraoperative blood loss, bone union, visual analog scale (VAS) score, shoulder range of motion (ROM), American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (ASES) shoulder score, recurrence, and overall survival. Results: Fifty-two patients were followed up for a mean of 30 months. Thirty-two patients were SHA with allograft-prosthetic composite (APC) reconstructions, while other 20 were rTSA with devitalized autograft-prosthetic composite reconstructions. At the end of the follow-up, 2 recurrence, 3 postoperative infections, and 4 subluxations occurred among the SHA patients. Two patients in the rTSA group had postoperative anterior dislocation and underwent revision surgery with surgical mesh, and 2 (2/20) had grade II scapular notching. The mean VAS score of the shoulder was 1.5 ± 0.8 in the rTSA group and 2.3 ± 1.2 in the SHA group (p < 0.05). The mean active forward flexion of the shoulder joint was 50.6 ± 6.0 in the SHA group and 100 ± 7.6 in the rTSA group (p < 0.05). The ASES shoulder score was 78 ± 3.0 in the rTSA group and 52 ± 5.6 in the SHA group (p < 0.05). The overall 3-year survival rate of all patients was 60.0%, and patients in the rTSA group showed better survival in terms of the mean 3-year OS than patients in the SHA group (p = 0.04). Conclusion: rTSA with devitalized autograft-prosthetic composite can offer a reasonable reconstruction of the shoulder joint after Malawer type I tumor resection. Compared with patients who underwent SHA, patients who underwent rTSA present good outcomes, a better range of motion, better bone union, and no increase in instability rate in the mid-term. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydrogen sulfide (H 2 S) is a toxic contaminant and has great influence on many physiological processes. Due to various pathophysiological roles and environmental pollution problems, it is necessary to construct and develop simple and portable monitoring sensors for the precise detection of H 2 S. Herein, we developed a smartphone-adapted dual-mode detection platform by integrating the colorimetric and photothermal imaging analysis into a metal-organic framework-based chip (ZIF-8/Cu). Due to the nanoconfinement effect of ZIF-8, small-sized plasmonic CuS could be in-situ formed during the detection procedure of H 2 S and endowed the chips with excellent photothermal properties. By constructing a smartphone-adapted photothermal imager, the metal-organic framework-based chip could achieve a portable photothermal imaging analysis of H 2 S. Moreover, as the formed CuS was a good peroxidase-like nanozyme, the chips could also be used to trigger the enzymic catalytic reaction toward the chromogenic reaction of 3,3′,5,5′-tetramethylbenzidine (TMB)-H 2 O 2 , thus providing another colorimetric sensing mode by using a smartphone App. In this smartphone-adapted visualization platform, the portable chemosensors could simultaneously achieve double detection modes at one electrode, which provided a new pathway for the accurate detection of H 2 S and circumvented the false-positive or negative errors during the detection process. Besides, by using the finite difference time domain (FDTD) simulation method, the in-depth mechanism, including the plasmonic effect and spatial electromagnetic field distribution, was explored to provide a possible reason for the excellent sensing performance of the dual-mode visualization platform. This work provides a new insight into the construction of the accurate, portable and smart sensing platform in the visual screening of H 2 S. [Display omitted] • A smartphone-adapted dual-mode signal visualization platform was constructed. • The dual-mode platform showed great improvement in the accuracy detection of H 2 S. • The in-depth mechanism was investigated by using theoretical calculations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Constructing highly active electrocatalysts for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) have drawn considerable attention recently. However, how to design nanostructured electrocatalysts with enhanced catalytic performances is still a challenge. Herein, plasmonic Ag/Au hollow porous nanoshells decorated with porous Fe 2 P thin layers (denoted as Ag/Au-HPNSs@PFP) are fabricated, in which porous Fe 2 P (PFP) thin layers are derived from pyrolysis and phosphidation of MIL-100(Fe) coated on plasmonic Ag/Au hollow porous nanoshells (Ag/Au-HPNSs) and the high porosity of the HER-active Fe 2 P, along with plasmonic enhancement of the Ag/Au hollow porous nanoshells, facilitates hydrogen evolution and electron transport, and accordingly boosts the electrocatalytic HER performance. When applied as a HER electrode, the hybrid electrocatalyst displays an onset overpotential of only 108 mV, satisfactory stability, and enhanced performance for hydrogen evolution under visible light, ascribing to electron interactions between Fe and P and synergistic effects of porous Fe 2 P and plasmonic Au/Ag hollow porous nanoshells. • Plasmonic hybrid electrocatalysts with enhanced HER are successfully fabricated. • Intriguing performance is due to the synergistic effects and plasmonic enhancement. • Promoted HER performance and satisfactory stability are demonstrated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Ultrathin Co/Ni-based metal-organic frameworks (MOF) nanosheets were used as platform and catalyst in ECL. • The enhancement mechanism of MOF structure on ECL was discussed. • A label-free and sensitive immunosensor was constructed for the detection of α-fetoprotein. Due to their high catalytic effect on the electrochemiluminescence (ECL) of luminol, noble metal nanoparticles (NPs) have been widely used in luminol-based ECL immunosensors. However the aggregation of NPs often resulted in the decrease of ECL signal and affected the stability and durability of the sensor. In this study, a microflower-like structure made of ultrathin Co/Ni-based metal-organic frameworks (MOF) nanosheets were used as a platform for luminol-functionalized AgNPs to construct an immunosensor for tumor marker alpha-fetoprotein. The nanosheet and microflower-like assembly structure of the Co/Ni-MOF greatly improved the ECL performance of the luminol-AgNPs system, attributed to their large surface area, resistance to particle agglomeration and the high catalytic activity of the Co/Ni-MOF. The ultrathin Co/Ni-MOF was full of atomically dispersed cobalt ions and nickel ions, which can catalyze the ECL reaction of luminol and H 2 O 2. The as-fabricated immunosensor has a good sensitivity with detection limit of 0.417 pg mL−1 (S/N=3), and shows satisfactory performance in practical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To achieve reliable and ultrasensitive detection for disease markers in PEC bioanalysis, constructing and nano-engineering of ideal photoelectrodes and signal transduction strategies are of vital importance. Herein, a non-/noble metal coupled plasmonic nanostructure (TiO 2 /r-STO/Au) was tactically designed with high-efficient PEC performance. Evidenced by the DFT and FDTD calculations, the reduced SrTiO 3 (r-STO) was found to support the localized surface plasmon resonance due to the sufficiently increased and delocalized local charge in r-STO. Under the synergistic coupling of plasmonic r-STO and AuNPs, the PEC performance of TiO 2 /r-STO/Au was found remarkably promoted with reduced onset potential. This merit supported TiO 2 /r-STO/Au as a self-powered immunoassay via a proposed oxygen-evolution-reaction mediated signal transduction strategy. With the increase of the target biomolecules (PSA), the catalytic active sites of TiO 2 /r-STO/Au would be blocked and result in the decrease of the oxygen evaluation reaction. Under optimal conditions, the immunoassays exhibited an excellent detection performance with a LOD as low as 1.1 fg/mL. This work proposed a new type of plasmonic nanomaterial for ultrasensitive PEC bioanalysis. [Display omitted] • A non-/noble metal coupled plasmonic photoelectrode (TiO 2 /r-STO/Au) was designed. • A self-powered immunoassay via an OER-mediated signal transduction strategy was developed. • An ultrasensitive detection performance was achieved for PSA detection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • A plasmon-enhanced Z-Scheme heterostructure (TiO 2 /Au/ZnIn 2 S 4 O S) is prepared. • A significantly improved PEC performance of TiO 2 /Au/ZnIn 2 S 4 O S is achieved. • The multifunctionality of Au nanodots in boosting the PEC catalytic performance is clarified. The Z-scheme photoelectrochemical (PEC) catalytic system that mimics natural photosynthesis is considered an encouraging method to improve the catalytic activities of the catalysts and finally address the global energy crisis. Herein, a plasmon-enhanced Z-Scheme heterostructure is synthesized via interface-structure-designing and defect-engineering. The optimized TiO 2 /Au/ZnIn 2 S 4 O S exhibits an excellent PEC catalytic activity with a photocurrent density of 3.80 mA/cm2 at 1.23 V (vs RHE), which is 2.1 times higher than that of TiO 2 nanorod arrays. The density functional theory (DFT) calculation results demonstrate that the synergy of O, S-defects can tailor the charge density distribution and electronic structure of ZnIn 2 S 4 , which effectively improves the electrical conductivity of the photocatalyst. The kinetic and thermodynamic behavior investigation, as well as theoretical simulations, indicate that the successful construction of the Z-scheme system can significantly improve the redox capacity and photo-excited electron-hole separation efficiency of the catalysts, thereby promoting the water oxidation activity. Furthermore, the Au nanodots sandwiched between TiO 2 and ZnIn 2 S 4 O S are found to play multifunctional roles in boosting the PEC catalytic performance. This work provides a valuable approach to constructing defects-dominated Z-scheme systems at the atomic scale and sheds light on new insight into the LSPR effect for improving the catalytic performance in Z-scheme systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • A plasmonic Z-scheme catalyst (TiO 2 /NH 2 -MIL-125/Au) was designed and constructed. • The Z-scheme architecture endowed TiO 2 /NH 2 -MIL-125/Au with stronger redox capability. • The surface plasmon resonance of AuNPs improved the charge separation of the catalyst. • A remarkably improved photocurrent density for TiO 2 /NH 2 -MIL-125/Au has been achieved. Developing and nano-engineering of photoanodes with high solar energy utilization and charge separation efficiency is urgently desirable in photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting for renewable energy sources. Herein, a novel synergistic coupling catalyst (TiO 2 /NH 2 -MIL-125/Au) is constructed by integrating MOFs-based Z-scheme catalysts with the surface plasmon resonance (SPR) of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs). The electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectra and theoretical calculation indicate that the charge transfer path follows the Z-scheme principle and the SPR effect of AuNPs remarkably enhances the electromagnetic (EM) field at the coupling region acting as hot spots. Such superiority in physical structures endows TiO 2 / NH 2 -MIL-125/Au with stronger redox capability and improved charge separation efficiency. Correspondingly, the plasmon coupled Z-scheme catalyst exhibits excellent PEC performance with a 2.2-fold enhancement in comparison with the pristine TiO 2 nanotube arrays. This work develops a novel synergistic coupling model by integrating the plasmonic effect with biomimetic Z-scheme systems and sheds light on a deep understanding of plasmon-enhanced Z-scheme catalysts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]