Enhanced photocatalytic CO2 reduction via plasmonic Au-Co3O4-Au dendrite heterostructures on silicon

Abstract

The increase of carbon dioxide (CO<inf>2</inf>) emissions caused by industrialization, fossil fuel use, and deforestation represent a major challenge for sustainable development. In this work, we fabricated a non-lithography 3D disordered gold dendrite Au–Co<inf>3</inf>O<inf>4</inf>–Au heterostructure. The results show that combining the catalytic properties of Co<inf>3</inf>O<inf>4</inf> with surface plasmon resonance effects can significantly enhance photocatalytic carbon dioxide reduction. The methane and methanol yields were both enhanced respectively. We also demonstrated that the Si-Au composite exhibits catalytic activity for methane production, while the Si-Au/Co<inf>3</inf>O<inf>4</inf>-Au composite performs better in methanol oxidation. These findings provide a promising way for sustainable fuel production and CO<inf>2</inf> capture by advanced material design. © 2026 Elsevier B.V.