This work takes on our earlier research on UV light pre-treatment and motivated by the potential benefits associated with utilizing visible light in our system, by exploitation of the Localised Surface Plasmon Resonance effect arising from Au to generate free electrons, which are transferred to the Pt active sites. The electron transfer was evident from a change in Pt speciation observed from X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, showing the presence of PtO after visible light pre-treatment. Photoluminescence spectroscopy was used to reveal the bimetallic synergistic enhancement, as indicated by an overall decrease in the charge recombination rate. Further examination revealed that a good bimetallic interaction is necessary to achieve the enhancement by visible light pre-treatment. Weak bimetallic interaction, such as the occurrence of element segregation in the bimetallic alloy, inhibits electron transfer from the Au to the Pt and increases electron recombination rates, diminishing the degree to which visible light pre-treatment improves catalytic performance.

Read more in ChemCatChem, 2018, vol10 (1), p 287-295 (doi: 10.1002/cctc.201701238) or go to SLIDESHARE

Surface Plasmon Promotion