title: A Nonmetal Plasmonic Z-Scheme Photocatalyst with UV- to NIR-Driven Photocatalytic Protons Reduction.
abstract: Ultrabroad-spectrum absorption and highly efficient generation of available charge carriers are two essential requirements for promising semiconductor-based photocatalysts, towards achieving the ultimate goal of solar-to-fuel conversion. Here, a fascinating nonmetal plasmonic Z-scheme photocatalyst with the W18O49/g-C3N4heterostructure is reported, which can effectively harvest photon energies spanning from the UV to the nearinfrared region and simultaneously possesses improved charge-carrier dynamics to boost the generation of long-lived active electrons for the photocatalytic reduction of protons into H2. By combining with theoretical simulations, a unique synergistic photocatalysis effect between the semiconductive Z-scheme charge-carrier separation and metal-like localized-surface-plasmon-resonance-induced "hot electrons" injection process is demonstrated within this binary heterostructure.
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of New Energy and Rare Earth Resource Utilization of State Ethnic Affairs Commission, School of Physics and Materials Engineering, Dalian Nationalities University, 18 Liaohe West Road, Dalian, 116600, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Zhenyi
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of New Energy and Rare Earth Resource Utilization of State Ethnic Affairs Commission, School of Physics and Materials Engineering, Dalian Nationalities University, 18 Liaohe West Road, Dalian, 116600, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Jindou
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: Key laboratory of Materials Modification by Laser, Electron, and Ion Beams (Ministry of Education), School of Physics and Optoelectronic Technology, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, 116024, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Yurui
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Fang
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory for Photonic and Electronic Bandgap Materials, Ministry of Education, School of Physics and Electronic Engineering, Harbin Normal University, Harbin, 150025, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Mingyi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of New Energy and Rare Earth Resource Utilization of State Ethnic Affairs Commission, School of Physics and Materials Engineering, Dalian Nationalities University, 18 Liaohe West Road, Dalian, 116600, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Kuichao
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of New Energy and Rare Earth Resource Utilization of State Ethnic Affairs Commission, School of Physics and Materials Engineering, Dalian Nationalities University, 18 Liaohe West Road, Dalian, 116600, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Bin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Dong
keywords: H2 evolution; Z-scheme photocatalysts; full-solar-spectrum absorption; photocatalysis; plasmonic semiconductors