In-situ and wavelength-dependent photocatalytic strain evolution of a single Au nanoparticle on a TiO<sub>2</sub> film.
basic_science · Level V
Where this comes from
- Record sourced from PubMed, PMID 38937506.
- Also identified by DOI 10.1038/s41467-024-49862-1 and PMC identifier 11211407.
- Licence recorded as CC BY.
- The licence permits redistribution, so the abstract is shown in full and the full text is available from the publisher.
Abstract
Photocatalysis is a promising technique due to its capacity to efficiently harvest solar energy and its potential to address the global energy crisis. However, the structure-activity relationships of photocatalyst during wavelength-dependent photocatalytic reactions remains largely unexplored because it is difficult to measure under operating conditions. Here we show the photocatalytic strain evolution of a single Au nanoparticle (AuNP) supported on a TiO<sub>2</sub> film by combining three-dimensional (3D) Bragg coherent X-ray diffraction imaging with an external light source. The wavelength-dependent generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) has significant effects on the structural deformation of the AuNP, leading to its strain evolution. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations are employed to rationalize the induced strain caused by the adsorption of ROS on the AuNP surface. These observations provide insights of how the photocatalytic activity impacts on the structural deformation of AuNP, contributing to the general understanding of the atomic-level catalytic adsorption process.