Plasmon-induced ammonia synthesis through nitrogen photofixation with visible light irradiation

We have successfully developed a plasmon-induced technique for ammonia synthesis that responds to visible light through a strontium titanate (SrTiO₃) photoelectrode loaded with gold (Au) nanoparticles. The photoelectrochemical reaction cell was divided into two chambers to separate the oxidized (anodic side) and reduced (cathodic side) products. To promote NH ₃ formation, a chemical bias was applied by regulating the pH value of these compartments, and ethanol was added to the anodic chamber as a sacrificial donor. The quantity of NH₃ formed at the ruthenium surface, which was used as a co-catalyst for SrTiO₃, increases linearly as a function of time under irradiation with visible light at wavelengths longer than 550 nm. The NH₃ formation action spectrum approximately corresponds to the plasmon resonance spectrum. We deduced that plasmon-induced charge separation at the Au/SrTiO₃ interface promotes oxidation at the anodic chamber and subsequent nitrogen reduction on the cathodic side.