Aluminum Nanocrystals as a Plasmonic Photocatalyst for Hydrogen Dissociation
dc.contributor.advisor | Halas, Naomi J | |
dc.creator | Zhang, Chao | |
dc.date.accessioned | 2017-08-02T18:55:50Z | |
dc.date.available | 2017-08-02T18:55:50Z | |
dc.date.created | 2016-05 | |
dc.date.issued | 2016-03-31 | |
dc.date.submitted | May 2016 | |
dc.date.updated | 2017-08-02T18:55:50Z | |
dc.description.abstract | Hydrogen dissociation is a critical step in many hydrogenation reactions central to industrial chemical production and pollutant removal. This step typically utilizes the favorable band structure of precious metal catalysts like platinum and palladium to achieve high efficiency under mild conditions. Here we demonstrate that aluminum nanocrystals (Al NCs), when illuminated, can be used as a photocatalyst for hydrogen dissociation at room temperature and atmospheric pressure, despite the high activation barrier toward hydrogen adsorption and dissociation. We show that hot electron transfer from Al NCs to the antibonding orbitals of hydrogen molecules facilitates their dissociation. Hot electrons generated from surface plasmon decay and from direct photoexcitation of the interband transitions of Al both contribute to this process. Our results pave the way for the use of aluminum, an earth-abundant, nonprecious metal, for photocatalysis. | |
dc.format.mimetype | application/pdf | |
dc.identifier.citation | Zhang, Chao. "Aluminum Nanocrystals as a Plasmonic Photocatalyst for Hydrogen Dissociation." (2016) Master’s Thesis, Rice University. <a href="https://hdl.handle.net/1911/96256">https://hdl.handle.net/1911/96256</a>. | |
dc.identifier.uri | https://hdl.handle.net/1911/96256 | |
dc.language.iso | eng | |
dc.rights | Copyright is held by the author, unless otherwise indicated. Permission to reuse, publish, or reproduce the work beyond the bounds of fair use or other exemptions to copyright law must be obtained from the copyright holder. | |
dc.subject | Plasmonic photocatalysis | |
dc.subject | aluminum nanocrystals | |
dc.subject | hydrogen dissociation | |
dc.subject | hot electron | |
dc.subject | interband transition | |
dc.title | Aluminum Nanocrystals as a Plasmonic Photocatalyst for Hydrogen Dissociation | |
dc.type | Thesis | |
dc.type.material | Text | |
thesis.degree.department | Electrical and Computer Engineering | |
thesis.degree.discipline | Engineering | |
thesis.degree.grantor | Rice University | |
thesis.degree.level | Masters | |
thesis.degree.name | Master of Science |
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