Enhanced Methanol Production Through Photo-Assisted CO2 Hydrogenation Using Au@In2O3 Core-Shell Structures

Abstract

The antenna-reactor (AR) nanostructure integrates the superior optical properties of plasmonic antennas with the high catalytic activity of reactor components, addressing limitations of semiconductor-based catalysts like poor light absorption and low photon efficiency. To fully utilize hot electrons from the localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) effect, a sufficient metal-semiconductor contact is essential for efficient electron transfer to reactive centers. Herein, an Au@In₂O₃ core-shell structure is reported, where the incorporation of Au extends the light absorption of In₂O₃ into the visible region. Under illumination, hot electrons produced by the Au LSPR effect are efficiently transferred across the Au-In₂O₃ interface to In₂O₃, resulting in a 56% enhancement in methanol production rate compared to dark conditions. This work expands the compositional scope of AR systems and provides a valuable reference for designing catalysts for photo-assisted thermal/photothermal catalytic CO₂ hydrogenation to methanol.