Photoconversion of glucose to glucuronic acid over plasmonic M-CdS/MOR (M= Ag, Au) nanocomposites

Photocatalysts based on silver or gold metallic and CdS semiconductor nanoparticles embedded on a mordenite matrix (M-CdS/MOR), was successfully synthesized and tested to obtain glucuronic acid by photoconversion of glucose. The M-CdS/MOR photocatalyst exhibited a synergistic interaction between the plasmonic behavior from metallic nanoparticles and the photoactive properties of semiconductor nanoparticles, which leads to the photoconversion of the glucose (38% in 60 min). The reaction mechanisms are presented and discussed.