@article{PanSarhanKochovskietal.2022,
  author    = {Pan, Xuefeng and Sarhan, Radwan Mohamed and Kochovski, Zdravko and Chen, Guosong and Taubert, Andreas and Mei, Shilin and Lu, Yan},
  title     = {Template synthesis of dual-functional porous MoS2 nanoparticles with photothermal conversion and catalytic properties},
  series = {Nanoscale},
  volume    = {14},
  journal   = {Nanoscale},
  number    = {18},
  publisher = {RSC Publ. (Royal Society of Chemistry)},
  address   = {Cambridge},
  issn      = {2040-3372},
  doi       = {10.1039/d2nr01040b},
  pages     = {6888 -- 6901},
  year      = {2022},
  abstract  = {Advanced catalysis triggered by photothermal conversion effects has aroused increasing interest due to its huge potential in environmental purification. In this work, we developed a novel approach to the fast degradation of 4-nitrophenol (4-Nip) using porous MoS2 nanoparticles as catalysts, which integrate the intrinsic catalytic property of MoS2 with its photothermal conversion capability. Using assembled polystyrene-b-poly(2-vinylpyridine) block copolymers as soft templates, various MoS 2 particles were prepared, which exhibited tailored morphologies (e.g., pomegranate-like, hollow, and open porous structures). The photothermal conversion performance of these featured particles was compared under near-infrared (NIR) light irradiation. Intriguingly, when these porous MoS2 particles were further employed as catalysts for the reduction of 4-Nip, the reaction rate constant was increased by a factor of 1.5 under NIR illumination. We attribute this catalytic enhancement to the open porous architecture and light-to-heat conversion performance of the MoS2 particles. This contribution offers new opportunities for efficient photothermal-assisted catalysis.},
  language  = {en}
}
@article{ZhaoSarhanEljarratetal.2022,
  author    = {Zhao, Yuhang and Sarhan, Radwan Mohamed and Eljarrat, Alberto and Kochovski, Zdravko and Koch, Christoph and Schmidt, Bernd and Koopman, Wouter-Willem Adriaan and Lu, Yan},
  title     = {Surface-functionalized Au-Pd nanorods with enhanced photothermal conversion and catalytic performance},
  series = {ACS applied materials \& interfaces},
  volume    = {14},
  journal   = {ACS applied materials \& interfaces},
  number    = {15},
  publisher = {American Chemical Society},
  address   = {Washington, DC},
  issn      = {1944-8244},
  doi       = {10.1021/acsami.2c00221},
  pages     = {17259 -- 17272},
  year      = {2022},
  abstract  = {Bimetallic nanostructures comprising plasmonic and catalytic components have recently emerged as a promising approach to generate a new type of photo-enhanced nanoreactors. Most designs however concentrate on plasmon-induced charge separation, leaving photo-generated heat as a side product. This work presents a photoreactor based on Au-Pd nanorods with an optimized photothermal conversion, which aims to effectively utilize the photo-generated heat to increase the rate of Pd-catalyzed reactions. Dumbbell-shaped Au nanorods were fabricated via a seed-mediated growth method using binary surfactants. Pd clusters were selectively grown at the tips of the Au nanorods, using the zeta potential as a new synthetic parameter to indicate the surfactant remaining on the nanorod surface. The photothermal conversion of the Au-Pd nanorods was improved with a thin layer of polydopamine (PDA) or TiO2. As a result, a 60\% higher temperature increment of the dispersion compared to that for bare Au rods at the same light intensity and particle density could be achieved. The catalytic performance of the coated particles was then tested using the reduction of 4-nitrophenol as the model reaction. Under light, the PDA-coated Au-Pd nanorods exhibited an improved catalytic activity, increasing the reaction rate by a factor 3. An analysis of the activation energy confirmed the photoheating effect to be the dominant mechanism accelerating the reaction. Thus, the increased photothermal heating is responsible for the reaction acceleration. Interestingly, the same analysis shows a roughly 10\% higher reaction rate for particles under illumination compared to under dark heating, possibly implying a crucial role of localized heat gradients at the particle surface. Finally, the coating thickness was identified as an essential parameter determining the photothermal conversion efficiency and the reaction acceleration.},
  language  = {en}
}