CO<sub>2</sub> Conversion in Cu-Pd Based Disordered Network Metamaterials with Ultrasmall Mode Volumes.

Wohlwend, Jelena; Wipf, Oliver; Kiwic, David; Käch, Siro; Mächler, Benjamin; Haberfehlner, Georg; Spolenak, Ralph; Galinski, Henning · Nano Lett · 2025

basic_science · Level V

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Abstract

Plasmons can drive chemical reactions by directly exciting intramolecular transitions. However, strong coupling of plasmons to single molecules remains a challenge as ultrasmall mode volumes are required. In the presented work, we propose Cu-Pd plasmonic network metamaterials as scalable platforms for plasmon-assisted catalysis. Due to the absence of translational symmetry, these networks provide a unique plasmonic environment featuring a large local density of optical states and an unparalleled density of hotspots that effectively localizes light in mode volumes <i>V</i> < 8 × 10<sup>-24</sup> m<sup>3</sup>. Catalytic performance tests during CO<sub>2</sub> conversion reveal production rates of up to 4.3 × 10<sup>2</sup> mmol g<sup>-1</sup> h<sup>-1</sup> and altered reaction selectivity under light illumination. Importantly, we show that the selectivity of the catalytic process can be tuned by modifying the network's chemical composition, offering a versatile approach to optimize reaction pathways.