Plasmonic MoO2 embedded MoNi4 nanosheets prepared by NiMoO4 transformation for visible-light-enhanced 4-nitrophenol reduction

Plasmonic hybrid catalysts have attracted great interest for the reduction of nitrobenzene waste to valuable aminobenzene, because they can use renewable solar energy to accelerate the catalytic reaction. However, the economical synthesis of non-precious plasmonic hybrid catalysts remains a big challenge. Herein we report the synthesis of plasmonic MoO2-embedded MoNi4 nanosheets (MoNi4–MoO2) by thermal annealing of NiMoO4 at 600 °C under a hydrogen atmosphere. The MoNi4–MoO2 hybrid catalysts retain strong plasmon absorption from MoO2 and demonstrate good catalytic activity from MoNi4 for 4-nitrophenol reduction in the dark. Under visible light irradiation, the excitation of MoO2 plasmon promotes the catalytic reaction further due to hot electron-induced increase of catalytic activity of MoNi4. In addition, the hybrid catalysts are relatively stable even under illumination reaction conditions.