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Extending the Limit of Low-Energy Photocatalysis: Dye Reduction with PbSe/CdSe/CdS Core/Shell/Shell Nanocrystals of Varying Morphologies under Infrared Irradiation
journal contribution
posted on 2016-02-20, 04:39 authored by Chaewon Pak, Ju Young Woo, Kangha Lee, Whi Dong Kim, Youngjae Yoo, Doh C. LeeWe demonstrate photocatalytic reduction of methylene
blue in the
infrared region, using PbSe/CdSe/CdS core/shell/shell heterostructure
nanocrystals (HNCs) with type II or quasi-type II band offsets. Varying
deposition rates of the CdS shell result in nanocrystals of diverse
morphologies ranging from spheres to pyramids to tetrapods. The faceted
shapes enable the selective growth of Au tips, which help increase
photocatalytic activity since the Au tips serve as an electron sink.
Comparative studies reveal that the photocatalytic activity appears
to correlate with the integral overlap of electron and hole wave functions.
Tetrapod-shaped HNCs with Au tips show considerably higher photocatalytic
activity for the reduction of methylene blue than sphere or pyramid-shaped
HNCs of equivalent composition arrangement.