DataVXAdvanced Functional MaterialsPaper
journal article·2026-03Open access

Non Thermal‐Driven Photocatalytic Ammonia Decomposition at Near‐Room Temperature on a Plasmonic Nanocone Array

Thanh‐Lam Bui, S. M. Hossein Hejazi, Jan Navrátil, Hana Kmentová, Petr Bábor, Olivier Henrotte, Luca Mascaretti, Matteo Bisetto, Stephen K. Sanders, Andrea Schirato, Michal Otyepka, Piotr Błoński, Tiziano Montini, Radek Zboril, Paolo Fornasiero, Alessandro Alabastri, Alberto Naldoni, Stepan Kment

Advanced Functional Materials· Volume 36· Issue 21
Publisher pageOpen full text
Source abstract

Abstract

Abstract The efficient and sustainable production of hydrogen is crucial for the transition to a clean energy future. Ammonia (NH 3 ) is an attractive hydrogen carrier due to its high energy density and safe storage properties. However, conventional ammonia decomposition requires high temperatures, making the process energy‐intensive and costly. Here, a plasmon‐driven photocatalytic approach is presented for ammonia cracking at near‐room temperature, utilizing a plasmonic antenna‐reactor system made by a sharp tip anodic alumina oxide (AAO) array coated with a plasmonic Au film (antenna), decorated with Cu nanoparticles (reactors). This nanostructured catalyst harnesses surface plasmon resonances (SPRs) and generates hot carriers under visible light illumination, significantly enhancing the reaction efficiency. The best AAO@Au@Cu configuration exhibited a hydrogen evolution rate of 227 µmol h −1 g Cu −1 under 1 Sun irradiation at 35 °C. The enhanced activity is due to plasmonic non thermal effects, with the highest catalytic activity observed at 565 nm, corresponding to the SPR mode of the nanostructure. Mechanistic insights, supported by XPS, TOF‐SIMS, and spin‐polarized density functional theory calculations, suggested a multi‐step NH 3 decomposition pathway involving NH 2 NH 2 (hydrazine) and NH‐NH intermediates. This study highlights the potential of plasmonic nanomaterials in revolutionizing low‐temperature NH 3 decomposition, paving the way for sustainable hydrogen production at solar intensities.
Source: crossref · Quality: baseline

Research context

NanomaterialsCatalysis & surfaces

OpenAlex topics: Advanced Photocatalysis Techniques · Gas Sensing Nanomaterials and Sensors · Ga2O3 and related materials

SciVX discovery tags are terminology-based. OpenAlex topics are source-provided classifications.

Affiliations

Regional Centre of Advanced Technologies and Materials Czech Advanced Technology and Research Institute (CATRIN) Palacký University Olomouc Šlechtitelů 27 Olomouc 779 00 Czech Republic

Nanotechnology Centre Centre for Energy and Environmental Technologies VSB‐Technical University of Ostrava 17. listopadu 2172/15 Ostrava‐Poruba 708 00 Czech Republic

Department of Physical Chemistry Faculty of Science Palacký University Olomouc 17 listopadu 12 Olomouc 779 00 Czech Republic

Central European Institute of Technology Brno University of Technology Purkyňova 656/123 Brno 612 00 Czech Republic

Institute of Physical Engineering Faculty of Mechanical Engineering Brno University of Technology Brno University of Technology Technická 2 Brno 612 00 Czech Republic

Department of Laser Physics and Photonics Faculty of Nuclear Sciences and Physical Engineering Czech Technical University in Prague Břehová 7 Prague 11519 Czech Republic

Department of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Center for Energy Environment and Transport Giacomo Ciamiciam, INSTM Trieste Research Unit and ICCOM‐CNR Trieste Research Unit University of Trieste Via L. Giorgieri 1 Trieste 34127 Italy

Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering Rice University 6100 Main Street Houston TX 77005 United States

U.S. Army DEVCOM Army Research Laboratory‐South Oak Ridge Associated Universities Houston TX 77005 USA

Dipartimento di Fisica Politecnico di Milano P.zza Leonardo da Vinci 32 Milano 20133 Italy

Department of Physics and Astronomy Rice University 6100 Main Street Houston TX 77005 United States

IT4Innovations VŠB–Technical University of Ostrava 17. listopadu 2172/15 Ostrava‐Poruba 708 00 Czech Republic

Laboratory for Nanophotonics Rice University 6100 Main Street Houston TX 77005 United States

Smalley‐Curl Institute & Rice Advanced Materials Institute Rice University 6100 Main Street Houston TX 77005 United States

Department of Chemistry and NIS Centre University of Turin Turin 10125 Italy

Funding

National Science Foundation

References (46)

Show source-provided references
1. 10.1002/adfm.20190182510.1002/adfm.201901825 ↗
2. 10.1021/acscatal.8b0079110.1021/acscatal.8b00791 ↗
3. 10.1002/adfm.20180329110.1002/adfm.201803291 ↗
4. 10.1038/s43586-023-00226-x10.1038/s43586-023-00226-x ↗
5. Liu Y. · Adv. Funct. Mater. · 2024
6. 10.1002/adfm.20211013610.1002/adfm.202110136 ↗
7. 10.1016/j.rser.2022.11311310.1016/j.rser.2022.113113 ↗
8. 10.1002/adfm.20240663910.1002/adfm.202406639 ↗
9. 10.1021/acs.iecr.1c0084310.1021/acs.iecr.1c00843 ↗
10. 10.1002/adma.20200572110.1002/adma.202005721 ↗
11. 10.1038/natrevmats.2016.5910.1038/natrevmats.2016.59 ↗
12. 10.1002/adfm.20230051210.1002/adfm.202300512 ↗
13. 10.1002/adfm.20231305810.1002/adfm.202313058 ↗
14. 10.1021/ja902587k10.1021/ja902587k ↗
15. 10.1038/s41467-019-11848-910.1038/s41467-019-11848-9 ↗
16. 10.1126/sciadv.160274710.1126/sciadv.1602747 ↗
17. 10.1038/s41570-018-0031-910.1038/s41570-018-0031-9 ↗
18. 10.1038/lsa.2016.1710.1038/lsa.2016.17 ↗
19. 10.1038/s41929-018-0138-x10.1038/s41929-018-0138-x ↗
20. 10.1038/nchem.103210.1038/nchem.1032 ↗
21. 10.1038/s41560-019-0517-910.1038/s41560-019-0517-9 ↗
22. 10.1126/science.aat696710.1126/science.aat6967 ↗
23. 10.1126/science.abn563610.1126/science.abn5636 ↗
24. 10.1039/C9SC06480J10.1039/C9SC06480J ↗
25. 10.1016/j.joule.2022.06.01910.1016/j.joule.2022.06.019 ↗
26. 10.1021/nn505528310.1021/nn5055283 ↗
27. 10.1126/science.268.5216.146610.1126/science.268.5216.1466 ↗
28. 10.1021/cr500002z10.1021/cr500002z ↗
29. 10.1002/adsu.20180011210.1002/adsu.201800112 ↗
30. 10.1126/sciadv.150122710.1126/sciadv.1501227 ↗
31. 10.1038/ncomms1010310.1038/ncomms10103 ↗
32. 10.1002/adfm.20210034210.1002/adfm.202100342 ↗
33. 10.1021/acsphotonics.1c0168410.1021/acsphotonics.1c01684 ↗
34. 10.1038/s41427-023-00523-710.1038/s41427-023-00523-7 ↗
35. 10.1002/adfm.20190325510.1002/adfm.201903255 ↗
36. 10.1039/c3cc45568h10.1039/c3cc45568h ↗
37. 10.1021/acssuschemeng.2c0474610.1021/acssuschemeng.2c04746 ↗
38. 10.1038/s41565-021-01070-410.1038/s41565-021-01070-4 ↗
39. 10.1039/D0CY01533D10.1039/D0CY01533D ↗
40. 10.1021/acs.chemmater.2c0149710.1021/acs.chemmater.2c01497 ↗
41. 10.1016/j.mcat.2017.11.02510.1016/j.mcat.2017.11.025 ↗
42. 10.1021/jp512981f10.1021/jp512981f ↗
43. 10.1016/j.jcat.2021.10.02910.1016/j.jcat.2021.10.029 ↗
44. 10.1021/acs.accounts.9b0028010.1021/acs.accounts.9b00280 ↗
45. 10.1021/acsnano.9b0503010.1021/acsnano.9b05030 ↗
46. 10.1021/acsnano.2c0819110.1021/acsnano.2c08191 ↗