1. CO$_2$ Conversion in Cu-Pd based Disordered Network Metamaterials with Ultra-Small Mode Volume
- Author
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Wohlwend, Jelena, Wipf, Oliver, Kiwic, David, Käch, Siro, Mächler, Benjamin, Haberfehlner, Georg, Spolenak, Ralph, and Galinski, Henning
- Subjects
Physics - Optics ,Physics - Applied Physics - Abstract
Plasmons can drive chemical reactions by directly exciting intramolecular transitions. However, strong coupling of plasmons to single molecules remains a challenge as ultra-small mode volumes are required. In the presented work, we propose Cu-Pd plasmonic network metamaterials as a scalable platform for plasmon-assisted catalysis. Due to the absence of translational symmetry, these networks provide a unique plasmonic environment featuring a large local density of optical states and an unparalleled density of hotspots that effectively localizes light in mode volumes $V<8\cdot10^{-24}$ m$^3$. Catalytic performance tests during CO$_2$ conversion reveal production rates of up to 4.3$\cdot$10$^2$ mmol g$^{-1}$h$^{-1}$ and altered reaction selectivity under light illumination. Importantly, we show that the selectivity of the catalytic process can be tuned by modifying the network's chemical composition, offering a versatile approach to optimize reaction pathways.
- Published
- 2024