title: Electron Filtering by an Intervening ZnS Thin Film in the Gold Nanoparticle-Loaded CdS Plasmonic Photocatalyst.
abstract: In the gold nanoparticle (Au NP)-loaded CdS film on fluorine-doped tin oxide electrode (Au/CdS/FTO), the localized plasmonic resonance excitation-induced electron injection from Au NP to CdS has been proven by photoelectrochemical measurements. Formation of ZnS thin films between the Au NP and CdS film leads to a drastic increase of the photocurrent under visible-light irradiation (λ > 610 nm) in a 0.1 M NaClO4aqueous electrolyte solution due to the electron filtering effect. The photocurrent strongly depends on the thickness of the ZnS film, and the maximum value is obtained at a thickness as thin as 2.1 nm. Furthermore, the ZnS overlayer significantly stabilizes the photocurrent of the CdS/FTO electrode in a polysulfide/sulfide electrolyte solution even under the excitation of CdS (λ > 430 nm). This work presents important information about the design for new plasmonic photocatalysts consisting of plasmonic metal NPs and chalcogenide semiconductors with high conduction band edge.
authors.affiliation: Department of Applied Chemistry, School of Science and Engineering and ‡Environmental Research Laboratory, Kindai University , 3-4-1, Kowakae, Higashi-Osaka, Osaka 577-8502, Japan.
authors.forename: Kouichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Takayama
authors.affiliation: Department of Applied Chemistry, School of Science and Engineering and ‡Environmental Research Laboratory, Kindai University , 3-4-1, Kowakae, Higashi-Osaka, Osaka 577-8502, Japan.
authors.forename: Keigo
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Fujiwara
authors.affiliation: Department of Applied Chemistry, School of Science and Engineering and ‡Environmental Research Laboratory, Kindai University , 3-4-1, Kowakae, Higashi-Osaka, Osaka 577-8502, Japan.
authors.forename: Takahiro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kume
authors.affiliation: Department of Applied Chemistry, School of Science and Engineering and ‡Environmental Research Laboratory, Kindai University , 3-4-1, Kowakae, Higashi-Osaka, Osaka 577-8502, Japan.
authors.forename: Shin-Ichi
authors.initials: SI
authors.lastname: Naya
authors.affiliation: Department of Applied Chemistry, School of Science and Engineering and ‡Environmental Research Laboratory, Kindai University , 3-4-1, Kowakae, Higashi-Osaka, Osaka 577-8502, Japan.
authors.forename: Hiroaki
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0001-8638-0697
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tada