Plasmon-Enhanced Sub-Bandgap Photocatalysis via Triplet-Triplet Annihilation Upconversion for Volatile Organic Compound Degradation.
This study demonstrates the first reported photocatalytic decomposition of an indoor air pollutant, acetaldehyde, using low-energy, sub-bandgap photons harnessed through sensitized triplet-triplet annihilation (TTA) upconversion (UC). To utilize low-intensity noncoherent indoor light and maximize photocatalytic activity, we designed a plasmon-enhanced sub-bandgap photocatalyst device consisting of two main components: (1) TTA-UC rubbery polymer films containing broad-band plasmonic particles (Ag-SiO2) to upconvert sub-bandgap photons, and (2) nanodiamond (ND)-loaded WO3as a visible-light photocatalyst composite. Effective decomposition of acetaldehyde was achieved using ND/WO3(Eg= 2.8 eV) coupled with TTA-UC polymer films that emit blue photons (λEm= 425 nm, 2.92 eV) upconverted from green photons (λEx= 532 nm, 2.33 eV), which are wasted in most environmental photocatalysis. The overall photocatalytic efficiency was amplified by the broad-band surface plasmon resonance of AgNP-SiO2particles incorporated into the TTA-UC films.
Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, School of Engineering and Applied Science, Yale University , New Haven, Connecticut 06511, United States.
Hyoung-Il
HI
Kim
School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH) , Pohang 790-784, Republic of Korea.
Seunghyun
S
Weon
Interdisciplinary Program in Nano-Science and Technology, Seoul National University , Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea.
Homan
H
Kang
Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, School of Engineering and Applied Science, Yale University , New Haven, Connecticut 06511, United States.
Anna L
AL
Hagstrom
Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, School of Engineering and Applied Science, Yale University , New Haven, Connecticut 06511, United States.
Oh Seok
OS
Kwon
Interdisciplinary Program in Nano-Science and Technology, Seoul National University , Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea.|School of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Seoul National University , Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea.
Yoon-Sik
YS
Lee
School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH) , Pohang 790-784, Republic of Korea.
Wonyong
W
Choi
Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, School of Engineering and Applied Science, Yale University , New Haven, Connecticut 06511, United States.
Jae-Hong
JH
Kim
D002384:Catalysis; D008027:Light; D017785:Photons; D012822:Silicon Dioxide; D055549:Volatile Organic Compounds
D055549:Volatile Organic Compounds; D012822:Silicon Dioxide