Plasmonic Catalysis and Surface-Enhanced Spectroscopy

Plasmonic catalysis harnesses the collective oscillation of conduction electrons at the surface of metal nanostructures to convert light into chemical reactivity. Localised surface plasmon resonances (LSPRs) concentrate electromagnetic fields in nanoscale hot spots, generating energetic charge carriers and local heating that can activate adsorbed molecules. These hot electrons and holes drive reduction and oxidation steps under mild conditions. Coupled with surface-enhanced spectroscopy techniques, such as surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) and tip-enhanced Raman scattering (TERS), it becomes possible to monitor reaction intermediates in real time at the single-particle and single-molecule levels. Advances in material design—including hybrid systems with graphene, layered metals or semiconductor supports—have improved charge-carrier lifetimes, field confinement and catalytic selectivity. Together, these developments have elevated plasmonic catalysis from proof of concept to a versatile platform for chemical synthesis, environmental remediation and solar-driven energy conversion.

Research from Nature Portfolio

Recent studies have elucidated the interplay between photothermal and non-thermal pathways in plasmonic systems. Investigations into the role of plasmonic heating during the dimerisation of nitro-thiophenol on gold nanoflowers have shown that local hotspot temperatures far exceed the average lattice temperature, yet sustained illumination is essential for reaction progress, confirming the primacy of energetic electrons over mere thermal effects. In parallel, in situ SERS experiments assisted by radical capturers have identified the distinct roles of holes and oxygen as electron scavengers in silver nanoparticle–driven oxidations, enabling selective pathways to both azo and nitro products. These findings underscore the importance of real-time spectroscopic tracking to disentangle competing mechanisms and to optimise catalyst architectures for multi-electron transfer processes.

Plasmonic Catalysis and Surface-Enhanced Spectroscopy publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in plasmonic catalysis and surface-enhanced spectroscopy across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Localised surface plasmon resonance (LSPR): Collective oscillation of electrons in metallic nanostructures excited by light, producing intense local electromagnetic fields.

Hot electrons (and holes): Energetic charge carriers generated by non-radiative decay of plasmons, capable of transferring to adsorbed molecules to drive redox reactions.

Surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS): A spectroscopic technique that uses LSPR to amplify inelastic scattering signals from molecules near metal surfaces, enabling trace-level detection and real-time monitoring.

Tip-enhanced Raman scattering (TERS): A nanoscale variation of SERS in which a sharp metallic probe tip produces highly localised field enhancement for spatially resolved vibrational spectroscopy.

Plasmonic heating: Local temperature rise in metal nanostructures due to absorption of light and non-radiative plasmon decay, contributing to catalytic activity.

Plasmon-exciton coupling: Interaction between plasmons and excitonic states in semiconductors or molecular layers, affecting charge-transfer dynamics and catalysis.

References

1. Recent advances in surface plasmon-driven catalytic reactions. RSC Advances (2017).
2. Surface- and Tip-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy as Operando Probes for Monitoring and Understanding Heterogeneous Catalysis. Catalysis Letters (2014).
3. Ultrafast Dynamics of Plasmon-Exciton Interaction of Ag Nanowire- Graphene Hybrids for Surface Catalytic Reactions. Scientific Reports (2016).
4. Mechanism of Plasmon-Induced Catalysis of Thiolates and the Impact of Reaction Conditions. Journal of the American Chemical Society (2024).
5. The importance of plasmonic heating for the plasmon-driven photodimerization of 4-nitrothiophenol. Scientific Reports (2019).
6. Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy Assisted by Radical Capturer for Tracking of Plasmon-Driven Redox Reaction. Scientific Reports (2016).
7. Label-free monitoring of plasmonic catalysis on the nanoscale. Analyst (2015).
8. Real-time monitoring of plasmon induced dissociative electron transfer to the potential DNA radiosensitizer 8-bromoadenine. Nanoscale (2017).