Highly energetic charge carriers generated in plasmon-assisted electrocatalysis can increase reaction rates and impart novel selectivity trends, but a simple protocol to differentiate between thermal and nonthermal plasmonic contributions is lacking. Here, the authors use cyclic voltammetry and finite element simulations to show direct interband excitation of gold by visible light exclusively enhances current density via photothermal heating, while plasmon excitation leads to photothermal and nonthermal enhancements.
- Md. Al-Amin
- Johann V. Hemmer
- Andrew J. Wilson
