Adjusting the band gap energy of metal halide perovskite by anion exchange (CsPbBr_3−yX_y: X = Cl, Br, I) leads to optimal interfacial electron transfer from CsPbBr_3−yX_y to TiO₂, and thus to improved photocatalytic hydrogen generation.

This paper reviews the radiation-induced synthesis of metallic nanostructures and their applications. Radiolysis is a powerful method for synthesizing metallic nanoparticles in solution and heterogeneous media, and it is a clean alternative to other existing physical, chemical, and physicochemical methods. By varying parameters such as the absorbed dose, dose rate, concentrations of metallic precursors, and nature of stabilizing agents, it is possible to control the size, shape, and morphology (alloy, core-shell, etc.) of the nanostructures and, consequently, their properties. Therefore, the as-synthesized nanoparticles have many potential applications in biology, medicine, (photo)catalysis, or energy conversion.

Plasmonic catalysis enables the realization of reactions using solar light with less energy and time consumption. Pd nanoflowers synthesized by a radiolytic reduction of Pd^II(acac)₂ in ethanol under a CO atmosphere exhibit a broad plasmon band in the visible–near infrared domain. These plasmonic nanostructures showed remarkably enhanced the photocatalytic activity for Suzuki–Miyaura reactions under visible light irradiation.

In this paper, we report the synthesis of octa(hydroxy)-octa(mercaptobutoxy)calix[8]arene and its use as a stabiliser of nanoparticles (NPs). We show that the reduction of gold and/or silver ions in the presence of this calix[8]arene in ethanolic solutions leads to the formation of very small spherical nanoparticles (NPs) that are homogeneous in size. Confinement and cooperative effects due to the macrocyclic structure of the calix[8]arenes account for the obtained small sizes and the homogeneity. In the case of the simultaneous reduction of gold and silver ions, STEM-EDX mappings provide evidence of the formation of alloyed Au–Ag NPs stabilised by calix[8]arenes. The surface accessibility and potential catalytic applications of the NPs are tested using the reduction of 4-nitrothiophenol by NaBH₄ as a model reaction.

Redox reactions are of great importance in environmental catalysis. Gold nanoparticles (Au-NPs) have attracted much attention because of their catalytic activity and their localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR). In the present study, we investigated, in detail, the reduction of ferricyanide (III) ion into a ferrocyanide (II) ion catalyzed by spherical gold nanoparticles of two different sizes, 15 nm and 30 nm, and excited at their LSPR band. Experiments were conducted in the presence (or absence) of sodium thiosulfate. This catalysis is enhanced in the presence of Au- NPs under visible light excitation. This reduction also takes place even without sodium thiosulfate. Our results demonstrate the implication of hot electrons in this reduction.