Photoelectrochemical Water-Splitting Catalyzed by Gold Nanoprisms
Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania studied the photocatalytic activity of materials such as gold nanoprisms and MoS2 flakes. Research focused on the correlation between I-V characteristics with water splitting and simultaneous structural changes at the catalytically active sites. The I-V characteristic curve (a) with the illuminated gold nanoprism catalyst has spikes of current that are several orders of magnitude larger than any seen in control studies without catalytic particles. TEM images (b) show the formation of gas bubbles induced at the working electrode with illumination of the gold nanoprisms corresponding to water splitting.
Unpublished data provided by N. Glachman. N. Geller, A Shea, D Jariwala and Eric Stach at the University of Pennsylvania.