Surface Plasmon-Mediated Photothermal Chemistry

Surface plasmon resonance (SPR)-induced photothermal heating has garnered a substantial amount of research interest across various disciplines. The first applications of SPR-induced light-to-heat energy conversion were in biological systems to photothermally ablate cancer cells in vivo. More recently, this spatially localized and highly tunable heating technique has been extensively used for a variety of chemical reactions and other associated applications. This feature article highlights the recent developments in surface plasmon-mediated photothermal chemistry. We review the current theoretical and experimental work toward estimating the photothermal heating-induced surface temperatures of plasmonic nanostructures. From a mechanistic perspective, we show how this local heating can activate reactant molecules and boost numerous types of chemical reactions. We also discuss the physical changes occurring in a surrounding solvent, such as water, during the photothermal process. Finally, we extend the scope of SPR-induced photothermal chemical reactions by manipulating the plasmonic nanostructure to facilitate nanomaterial fabrication, paving the way for a wide range of applications based on SPR-mediated photothermal chemistry. This perspective establishes a framework for the current applications, potential uses, and remaining challenges associated with harnessing SPR-induced photothermal heating.