A novel class of light-sensitive nanoparticles may one day enable new approaches to medical imaging. They were developed by a research team at Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg (MLU). The particles absorb laser light and convert them into heat thereby changing their internal structure, similar to folded proteins. The research was published in the journal “Communications Chemistry”.

This study focuses on V₂O_3-x nanoparticles and systematically analyzes them as plasmonic solar-driven catalysts for the first time. It reveals that they exhibit the localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) absorption characteristics in the near-infrared regions. By integrating in-situ characterization and theoretical calculation results, the mechanism of in-situ generation of oxygen vacancies (Vo) in V₂O₃ under irradiation and subsequently transformed into catalytically active V₂O_3-x is elucidated. Furthermore, the process in which V₂O_3-x generates hot electrons and holes through plasmon damping is analyzed, as well as its excellent effects in increasing the local temperature, providing active sites, and enhancing the light absorption capacity. V₂O_3-x demonstrates excellent performance in the reverse water-gas shift reaction (RWGS), with a CO conversion rate of 668.48 mmol g^-1 h^-1, with a CO selectivity exceeding 99.9%, and long-term stability for 90 h, highlighting the great potential of metal oxide plasmas in solar-driven catalysis. This research provides crucial insights into enhancing the solar-chemical energy conversion efficiency by utilizing the synergistic effect of LSPR and intrinsic interband transitions..