1. Photocatalysis of metallic nanoparticles
Various kinds of catalysts are needed for catalyzing the vast variety of chemical reactions. Nanocrystals, in many cases, can offer better catalysis due to their nanometer sizes. The table below gives a rough comparison.
We are particularly interested in the rich electron source and strong light absorption of metallic nanoparticles for sustainable catalysis. We focus on catalytic mechanism of hot carriers and their potential applications in catalyzing organic reactions.
2. Catalysis of surface water at nanoscale
Many chemical processes that are unlikely to happen in bulk water, however, can occur at water surface. We engineer air-water or organic-water interfaces to study these interesting processes. Below is an example of preparing organic-water intefaces in porous silica in combination with kinetic study to reveal mechanism of "on water" catalysis.
