New Family of Plasmonic Photocatalysts without Noble Metals

Efficient photocatalysis is important for sustainable energy. Recently, an unconventional photocatalyst based on intrinsic plasmon, called intrinsic plasmonic photocatalyst (IPP), seems promising for higher efficiency in hydrogen evolution. This catalyst seems to benefit from the advantages of visible light absorption, plasmon-assisted hot carrier generation, and good catalytic stability over conventional semiconductor photocatalysts. In this work, we report the relative hydrogen evolution efficiency under visible light irradiation of a family of IPP based on alkaline earth niobates (MNbO3, where M = Ca, Sr, or Ba), with efficiency of CaNbO3 > SrNbO3 > BaNbO3. The contributions of electron–phonon coupling time constant and solar energy absorption to the hydrogen evolution efficiency are identified as key based on our comprehensive study and characterization of carrier density (1022 cm–3), plasmon absorption, carrier dynamics, and surface area. This study demonstrates a generic approach to create a family of IPPs and further validates the role of solar energy absorption by intrinsic plasmon resonance in the enhancement of photocatalytic efficiency.