nanomaterials-logo

Journal Browser

Journal Browser

Plasmonic Hybrid Nanostructures for Photocatalysis and Enhanced Luminescence

A special issue of Nanomaterials (ISSN 2079-4991). This special issue belongs to the section "Synthesis, Interfaces and Nanostructures".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (25 March 2026) | Viewed by 1381

Special Issue Editors


E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Physics and Information Technology, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi’an 710119, China
Interests: plasmonic nanomaterials; surface plasmons; plasmonic catalysis; tip-enhanced Raman spectroscopy
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor Assistant
School of Physics and Information Technology, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi’an 710119, China
Interests: plasmon optics; high-resolution spectroscopy

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor Assistant
School of Physics and Information Technology, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi’an 710119, China
Interests: first-principles study of surface electronic excited-state dynamics and atomic adsorption

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Plasmon hybrid nanostructures can confine light beyond the diffraction limit and regulate the interaction between light and matter. Plasmonic noble metal nanoparticles, a new class of photocatalysts with the unique ability to harvest light energy across the entire visible spectrum and effectively convert energy, have been explored as a promising pathway to mitigating the energy crisis. In addition, by considerably enhancing near-field electromagnetic emissions, plasmonic nanostructures can effectively enhance the luminescence of emitters, which is of great significance for the development of single-photon sources and nanophotonic devices.

We are pleased to invite authors to contribute original research articles and reviews to this Special Issue, which aims to present studies on “Plasmon-Assisted Catalysis and Luminescence Enhancement” demonstrating theoretical and experimental results and advancements regarding plasmonic hybrid nanostructures for photocatalysis and enhancing the luminescence of molecules and nanomaterials, rather than traditional catalytic methods.

This Special Issue aims to provide a clear understanding of the enhancement of both molecules and materials using plasmonic catalysis and luminescence, and contribute to the design of highly tunable catalytic systems to achieve efficient solar-to-chemical energy conversion. We welcome novel results pertaining to plasmonic electromagnetic fields, hot electrons, or photothermally catalyzed chemical reactions and their mechanisms in plasmon excitation and energy transfer, as well as review articles challenging present knowledge, and hope that this Special Issue will provide a platform for discussion among experts in this field.

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Prof. Dr. Zhenglong Zhang
Guest Editor

Dr. Huan Chen
Dr. Lei Yan
Guest Editor Assistants

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Nanomaterials is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • plasmonic catalysis
  • surface plasmon resonance
  • enhanced electromagnetic field
  • hot carrier transfer
  • photothermal effect
  • molecular reaction
  • nanomaterial growth
  • crystal transformation
  • luminescence enhancement

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

  • Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
  • Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
  • External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
  • Reprint: MDPI Books provides the opportunity to republish successful Special Issues in book format, both online and in print.

Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Related Special Issue

Published Papers (2 papers)

Order results
Result details
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

9 pages, 1214 KB  
Article
Plasmonic Tilted Nanocavity Modulation of Quantum Dot Luminescence
by Shaozuo Huang, Bowen Kang, Xin Xie and Xiangtai Xi
Nanomaterials 2026, 16(4), 280; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano16040280 - 23 Feb 2026
Viewed by 523
Abstract
Quantum dots combine advantages such as strong processability via solution methods, wide color gamut coverage, and precise emission color coordinates, making them highly promising for applications in optoelectronic devices. However, they face limitations such as insufficient fluorescence intensity and low far-field extraction efficiency. [...] Read more.
Quantum dots combine advantages such as strong processability via solution methods, wide color gamut coverage, and precise emission color coordinates, making them highly promising for applications in optoelectronic devices. However, they face limitations such as insufficient fluorescence intensity and low far-field extraction efficiency. Plasmonic nanocavities based on metallic nanostructures offer an efficient platform for regulating light–matter interactions. In this study, we constructed a tilted plasmonic nanocavity structure composed of a silver nanocube, CdSe/CdS nanorods, and a single-crystal silver microplate. An Al2O3 isolation layer prepared via atomic layer deposition was used to control the nanocavity gap, precisely matching the plasmonic resonance mode with the 620 nm fluorescence emission of the quantum dots. This coupling system significantly enhances the radiative rate in the emission band and the electric field strength in the excitation band, achieving a 187-fold luminescence enhancement of the quantum dot. Additionally, leveraging the nano-antenna effect, the fluorescence exhibits upward directional emission. Experimental and simulation results confirm the high-efficiency enhancement and directional control of quantum dot fluorescence by the tilted nanocavity, providing new insights for the integrated application of quantum dots in displays, quantum communication, and other fields. Full article
Show Figures

Graphical abstract

16 pages, 2580 KB  
Article
Upconversion Luminescence of NaYF4:Ln3+ Nanoparticles on Gold Nanorod Array with Dual-Wavelength Excitation
by Haoyang Chen, Xu Liu, Xiangtai Xi, Huan Chen, Lei Yan, Zhengkun Fu, Jinping Li and Zhenglong Zhang
Nanomaterials 2026, 16(4), 277; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano16040277 - 21 Feb 2026
Viewed by 491
Abstract
Plasmonic nanostructures have been widely employed to improve upconversion luminescence performance; however, their impact on excitation pathways under multi-wavelength excitation is not yet fully understood. In this work, we constructed hybrid systems composed of gold nanorod arrays and NaYF4:Yb3+/Ln [...] Read more.
Plasmonic nanostructures have been widely employed to improve upconversion luminescence performance; however, their impact on excitation pathways under multi-wavelength excitation is not yet fully understood. In this work, we constructed hybrid systems composed of gold nanorod arrays and NaYF4:Yb3+/Ln3+ (Ln = Er3+, Tm3+) upconversion nanoparticles to systematically investigate upconversion behavior under dual-wavelength excitation at 808 and 976 nm. Contrary to the expected synergistic enhancement, our experimental results demonstrate that dual-wavelength excitation in the plasmonic hybrid structures produces different responses of upconversion emission. Measurements dependent on excitation power, along with the analysis of emission intensity ratio, indicate that plasmonic coupling under dual-wavelength excitation significantly enhances dissipative pathways that compete with upconversion processes. Notably, these effects strongly depend on the intrinsic energy-level structure of the lanthanide ions. In the Er3+-doped system, excitation at 808 nm facilitates population of higher-lying excited states, but the overall upconversion gain remains limited. In contrast, in the Tm3+-doped system, plasmonic coupling markedly amplifies stimulated emission and cross-relaxation processes, causing rapid depletion of high-energy state populations and substantial suppression of luminescence. These findings elucidate the competition between upconversion and dissipation processes governing plasmon-assisted upconversion under dual-wavelength excitation and provide a physical foundation for manipulating upconversion luminescence using multiple wavelengths. Full article
Show Figures

Graphical abstract

Back to TopTop