title: Theoretical Design and Experimental Realization of Quasi Single Electron Enhancement in Plasmonic Catalysis.
abstract: By a combination of theoretical and experimental design, we probed the effect of a quasi-single electron on the surface plasmon resonance (SPR)-mediated catalytic activities of Ag nanoparticles. Specifically, we started by theoretically investigating how the E-field distribution around the surface of a Ag nanosphere was influenced by static electric field induced by one, two, or three extra fixed electrons embedded in graphene oxide (GO) next to the Ag nanosphere. We found that the presence of the extra electron(s) changed the E-field distributions and led to higher electric field intensities. Then, we experimentally observed that a quasi-single electron trapped at the interface between GO and Ag NPs in Ag NPs supported on graphene oxide (GO-Ag NPs) led to higher catalytic activities as compared to Ag and GO-Ag NPs without electrons trapped at the interface, representing the first observation of catalytic enhancement promoted by a quasi-single electron.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Química Fundamental, Instituto de Química, Universidade de São Paulo, Av. Prof. Lineu Prestes, 748, 05508-000 São Paulo, SP (Brazil).
authors.forename: Jiale
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Química Fundamental, Instituto de Química, Universidade de São Paulo, Av. Prof. Lineu Prestes, 748, 05508-000 São Paulo, SP (Brazil).
authors.forename: Tiago V
authors.initials: TV
authors.lastname: Alves
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Química Fundamental, Instituto de Química, Universidade de São Paulo, Av. Prof. Lineu Prestes, 748, 05508-000 São Paulo, SP (Brazil).
authors.forename: Fabiane J
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Trindade
authors.affiliation: MackGraphe-Graphene and Nanomaterials Research Center, Mackenzie Presbyterian University, Rua da Consolação, 896, 01302-907 São Paulo, SP (Brazil).
authors.forename: Caroline B
authors.initials: CB
authors.lastname: de Aquino
authors.affiliation: MackGraphe-Graphene and Nanomaterials Research Center, Mackenzie Presbyterian University, Rua da Consolação, 896, 01302-907 São Paulo, SP (Brazil).
authors.forename: Joana C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Pieretti
authors.affiliation: MackGraphe-Graphene and Nanomaterials Research Center, Mackenzie Presbyterian University, Rua da Consolação, 896, 01302-907 São Paulo, SP (Brazil).
authors.forename: Sergio H
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Domingues
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Química Fundamental, Instituto de Química, Universidade de São Paulo, Av. Prof. Lineu Prestes, 748, 05508-000 São Paulo, SP (Brazil).
authors.forename: Romulo A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Ando
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Química Fundamental, Instituto de Química, Universidade de São Paulo, Av. Prof. Lineu Prestes, 748, 05508-000 São Paulo, SP (Brazil).
authors.forename: Fernando R
authors.initials: FR
authors.lastname: Ornellas
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Química Fundamental, Instituto de Química, Universidade de São Paulo, Av. Prof. Lineu Prestes, 748, 05508-000 São Paulo, SP (Brazil). camargo@iq.usp.br.
authors.forename: Pedro H C
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: Camargo
keywords: graphene oxide; nanoparticles; photocatalysis; silver; surface plasmon resonance