CHAPTER 7: Superficial Modification of Semiconductors with Gold Nanoparticles for Photocatalytic Applications

This chapter reviews the work related to surface modification of semiconductors with gold nanoparticles to cause plasmon-enhanced photocatalytic degradation of organic molecules, water splitting, the removal of air pollutants and the enhancement of the photocatalytic production of fine chemicals. Gold nanoparticles possess the ability to absorb visible light, because of the surface plasmon resonance, and to increase the separation of electron–hole pairs by acting as a sink of electrons thus reducing the possibility of recombination. The two main mechanisms discussed in the literature regarding plasmonic enhancement of photoactivity under visible illumination, charge transfer and local electric field enhancement, are discussed.