Photocatalytic Hydrogenation of Graphene Using Pd Nanocones.

Yuan, Lin; Zhang, Chao; Zhang, Xiang; Lou, Minhan; Ye, Fan; Jacobson, Christian R; Dong, Liangliang; Zhou, Linan et al. · Nano Lett · 2019

basic_science · Level V

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Abstract

Plasmonic photocatalytic processes typically use the interaction of light with metallic nanoparticles to drive chemical reactions on their surfaces. Here we show that a plasmonic photocatalyst can also induce a reaction on an adjacent material. A combination of spontaneous H<sub>2</sub> dissociation and plasmon-induced H desorption from tilted palladium (Pd) nanocones yields reactive H atoms which, in the direct vicinity of a graphene monolayer, results in its local hydrogenation. The conversion of pristine to hydrogenated graphene, a semiconductor, is detectable by visible local fluorescence of the hydrogenated regions of the graphene sheet, as well as by Raman spectroscopic analysis. These results may lead to new approaches for local, light-driven functionalization of graphene and other 2D materials and for precision patterning of functional devices.