Nanoparticles with Plasmonic Effect Boost Photocatalysis

Researchers at Graz University of Technology (TU Graz) developed a method for assembling plasmonic nanoparticles for specific applications. Their approach was to synthesize so-called core-shell clusters inside helium nanodroplets, with subsequent deposition and controlled oxidation. The researchers sent superfluid helium droplets with an internal temperature of 0.4 K (−273 °C) through a vacuum chamber and selectively introduced individual atoms or molecules into the droplets. The droplets coalesced into a new aggregate that could be deposited on different substrates. The graph illustrates the stepwise synthesis of silver-zinc oxide core-shell clusters. Courtesy of IEP/TU Graz. Using helium-droplet synthesis, the...