Plasmonic gold nanostars conjugated poly(heptazine imide) for photocatalytic H2O2 production from O2 reduction
File(s)
Published version
Author(s)
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
Recent advances in photocatalytic systems for H2O2 production have led to improvements in both efficiency and selectivity; however, the practical application of current photocatalysts remains limited by low H2O2 production rates, poor long-term stability, and challenges in scalability. In this study, we present a novel photocatalyst based on the integration of gold nanostars (AuNSs) into poly(heptazine imide) (PHI) resulting in a system that is highly efficient for H2O2 production. The resulting AuNSs–PHI catalyst achieved a remarkable H2O2 generation rate of 286.95 mM g−1 h−1 under solar irradiation, utilising O2 reduction coupled with isopropanol oxidation. This enhanced performance is primarily attributed to localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) effects from the embedded gold nanostars, which significantly boost light absorption and charge separation efficiency. The critical role of the optimized nanostructure was further validated through time-dependent density functional theory (TDDFT) calculations on a gold cluster (Au20) adsorbed onto PHI, providing theoretical insight into the observed experimental H2O2 production enhancement. These findings demonstrate the potential of plasmon-enhanced photocatalysis as a viable pathway for sustainable and scalable H2O2 production.
Date Issued
2025-11-01
Date Acceptance
2025-07-18
Citation
EES Catalysis, 2025, 3 (6), pp.1285-1301
ISSN
2753-801X
Publisher
Royal Society of Chemistry
Start Page
1285
End Page
1301
Journal / Book Title
EES Catalysis
Volume
3
Issue
6
Copyright Statement
© 2025 The Author(s). Published by the Royal Society of Chemistry. This article is licensed under aCreative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported Licence (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/)
License URL
Identifier
10.1039/d5ey00216h
Publication Status
Published
Date Publish Online
2025-08-06