Photocatalytic Semiconductor-Metal Hybrid Nanoparticles: Single-Atom Catalyst Regime Surpasses Metal Tips.

Semiconductor-metal hybrid nanoparticles (HNPs) are promising materials for photocatalytic applications, such as water splitting for green hydrogen generation. While most studies have focused on Cd containing HNPs, the realization of actual applications will require environmentally compatible systems. Using heavy-metal free ZnSe-Au HNPs as a model, we investigate the dependence of their functionality and efficiency on the cocatalyst metal domain characteristics ranging from the single-atom catalyst (SAC) regime to metal-tipped systems.

ZnO Quantum Photoinitiators as an All-in-One Solution for Multifunctional Photopolymer Nanocomposites.

Nanocomposites are constructed from a matrix material combined with dispersed nanosized filler particles. Such a combination yields a powerful ability to tailor the desired mechanical, optical, electrical, thermodynamic, and antimicrobial material properties. Colloidal semiconductor nanocrystals (SCNCs) are exciting potential fillers, as they display size-, shape-, and composition-controlled properties and are easily embedded in diverse matrices.

Morphology effect on zinc oxide quantum photoinitiators for radical polymerization.

Semiconductor nanocrystal based photoinitiators, quantum PIs, are a viable alternative to organic photoinitiators demonstrating unique advantages, including a broad and tunable excitation window, limited migration, and more. Aiming towards efficient quantum PIs with tunable properties, a deeper understanding of the relationships between the nanoparticle properties and their efficiency is required. Herein, we studied the morphological effect on ZnO nanocrystals functioning as photoinitiators in both water-based and solvent-free formulations by comparing rod and pyramidal shaped particles of similar volumes and nearly identical surface area.