Preface to special column on renewable fuel synthesis by photocatalysis and photoelectrocatalysis

Plasmonic metal nanoparticles have emerged as important candidates for photocatalysis. Numerous studies shown that coupling of a plasmonic component (such Au) the light energy harvester with catalytically active Pd) to form hybrid or alloy structures could achieve enhanced catalytic performance. However, microscopic mechanism relative multicomponent photocatalysis is still elusive. Here, we find electron-deficient Pd sites (Pdδ+) on AuPd nanoparticle were formed under visible irradiation, which play decisive role in The in-situ Pdδ+ irradiation offers ideal platform reaction comparable thermal heating conditions (>100 °C). show excellent conversion and selectivity visible-light-driven Heck cross-coupling ambient conditions. combination experimental density functional theory results suggest photocatalytic proceeds via new radical-based single-electron transfer pathway alloy, ideally provided efficient activation reactant much lower barrier irradiation. present work sheds mechanistic understandings bimetallic