Self-assembled Plasmonic nanoOptics for sustainable Chemistry

The energy sector is a major contributor to climate change, accounting for 55% of human-caused greenhouse gas emissions. While there has been progress in using renewable energy like solar, wind, and bioenergy, these sources face limitations—especially their inability to produce fuels—keeping their share of the global energy mix below 10%. To achieve a more sustainable future, it’s crucial to find ways to efficiently use abundant resources available in our environment, such as food waste, plastic, water, and sunlight.

This project aims to tackle this challenge by developing advanced plasmonic nanoreactors. These tiny reactors are made from self-assembling metal nanoparticles that create very narrow gaps between them, just about 1 nanometer wide. These narrow spaces allow the nanoparticles to interact with light in a special way, creating “plasmonic hotspots” where energy is concentrated. By combining these hotspots with molecular catalysts, the project will enhance the efficiency of chemical reactions powered by light. The design allows for reactants and products to flow through these hotspots, effectively creating a miniature, light-driven chemical reactor. This could open up new ways to convert everyday materials into valuable fuels and chemicals using sunlight.