Plasmonic nanoparticle catalysts and methods for producing long-chain hydrocarbon molecules

A method for producing hydrocarbon molecules by light irradiation, comprising:

• contacting a plasmonic nanoparticle catalyst with at least one carbon-containing source and at least one hydrogen-containing source;
• and
• irradiating the plasmonic nanoparticle catalyst, the carbon-containing source and the hydrogen-containing source with light under a temperature between about 20° C. to about 180° C. to produce straight chain saturated hydrocarbons,
• wherein
• the plasmonic nanoparticle catalyst comprises (i) at least one plasmonic provider and at least one catalytic property provider, or (ii) at least one plasmonic provider that is also catalytic property provider,
• the plasmonic provider and the catalytic property provider are in contact with each other or have distance less than 200 nm, and
• the catalytic property provider is selected from the group consisting of Co, Fe, Cu, Ni, C and oxide, chloride, carbonate and bicarbonate thereof.

A method for producing hydrocarbon molecules by light irradiation, comprising:

• contacting a plasmonic nanoparticle catalyst with at least one carbon-containing source and at least one hydrogen-containing source;
• and
• irradiating the plasmonic nanoparticle catalyst, the carbon-containing source and the hydrogen-containing source with light to produce hydrocarbon molecules, wherein
• the plasmonic nanoparticle catalyst comprises (i) at least one plasmonic provider and at least one catalytic property provider, or (ii) at least one plasmonic provider that is also catalytic property provider,
• the plasmonic provider and the catalytic property provider are in contact with each other or have distance less than 200 nm,
• the catalytic property provider is selected from the group consisting of Co, Fe, Cu, Ni, C and oxide, chloride, carbonate and bicarbonate thereof,
• the plasmonic provider is selected from the group consisting of Co, Fe, Al, Cu, Ni, Zn, Ti, C and alloys of two or more chemical elements thereof;
• the light irradiation is performed under a temperature between 20° C. to 800° C., and
• molecular composition of the hydrocarbon molecules produced by light irradiation is temperature-dependent,
• when the light irradiation is performed under a temperature between 20° C. to 180° C., the molecular composition of the hydrocarbon molecules comprises straight chain saturated hydrocarbons;
• when the light irradiation is performed under a temperature between 200° C. to 250° C., the molecular composition of the hydrocarbon molecules comprises aromatic hydrocarbons;
• when the light irradiation is performed under a temperature between 300° C. to 800° C., the molecular composition of the hydrocarbon molecules comprises unsaturated branched hydrocarbons.