As usual there will be practical information and a scientific talk. We will have snacks, just bring yourself and your coffee cup!
Abstract
We report on the colloidal synthesis of 0D Au–Ni nanostructures designed as antenna reactors for photo-electrocatalytic oxygen evolution reaction. The synthetic strategy is based on the heat-up method and enables the preparation of: (i) monometallic Au nanoparticles with a fixed diameter of 10 nm, (ii) Au(core)–Ni(shell) nanoparticles with a constant 10 nm Au core and Ni shells of varying thickness, and (iii) Au–Ni solid solution nanoparticles of similar overall size.
A systematic study of the well-defined particles' localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) is performed by combining ultraviolet–visible (UV-Vis) spectroscopy and electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS). UV-Vis spectroscopy shows a blue shift of the Au component LSPR peak with increasing nickel concentration (Au diameter is constant) while EELS show broader absorbance when both Au and Au-Ni particles are anchored adjacent to each other versus standing alone.
Preliminary evaluation of the Au(core)-Ni(shell) nanoparticles photo-electrocatalytic performance demonstrates promising catalytic activity toward the oxygen evolution reaction, highlighting the potential of the nanostructures in solar-driven water splitting applications.