Excitation Of Localized Surface Plasmon Resonance Research Articles

Plasmonic nanozyme Cu3P with significantly enhanced peroxidase-like activity for Cr (VI) colorimetric detection

Plasmonic nanozymes with both plasmonic and biocatalytic properties stand out due to their distinctive localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) feature and adjustable catalytic activity, while the enhancement effect of present reported plasmon excitation remains relatively low. Here, a plasmonic nanozyme of Cu3P nanoparticles (Cu3P NPs) with LSPR characteristics and intrinsic peroxidase (POD)-like activity was prepared via simple gas-solid reaction strategy, which presents significantly enhanced POD-like activity under plasmon stimulation than that without LSPR excitation, with catalytic constants for TMB and H2O2 83 and 127 times higher than those without LSPR excitation respectively. On the one hand, the Cu3P plasmonic nanozyme generated abundant high-energy hot carriers under near-infrared (NIR) stimulation to promote cracking of H2O2 to produce plentiful reactive oxide species (ROS); on the other hand, the LSPR-induced photothermal effect on Cu3P plasmonic nanozyme greatly improves the reaction kinetics, thus making a significantly boosts POD-like activity. According to the excellent POD-like activity of Cu3P plasmonic nanozyme and 8-hydroxyquinoline (8-HQ)-mediated chromaticity switch, a highly sensitive Cr (VI) chrominance sensing platform was developed with a detection limit of 9.6 nM within a range from 0.01 to 20 μM. This study spotlights the high utilization efficiency of plasmon stimulation for enzyme-like activity tuning.

Optimum Dimensions for Au Nanoframe Tuning in the Near-Infrared Second Window Range for Biomedical Applications: A Numerical Study

AbstractAu nanoparticles are favored in biomedical applications owing to their low cost and negligible cytotoxicity to biological cells. Nanoframes outshine their solid counterparts because of their porosity, which produces pronounced redshifts in their local surface plasmon resonance (LSPR). This feature enables the utilization of nanoframes in photothermal-based therapy, where LSPR excitation of particles within the near-infrared range (NIR) is essential. LSPR redshift in nanoframes is highly sensitive to their dimensions. A slight difference in the nanoframe dimension can result in substantial redshift, potentially pushing its LSPR beyond or below the required NIR range. We perform a systematic numerical study to investigate the optimum dimensions within a range of 1–100 nm for a spherical frame (SpF) and standard cubic frame (CF) to precisely tune their LSPR within the NIR-II window (1000–1400 nm). Our findings indicate that SpF exhibits a shorter LSPR redshift than CF’s at a certain porosity limit that is related to the geometry of the frame. Moreover, SpF displays higher LSPR sensitivity in the NIR region compared to CF. These insights provide valuable guidance for nanoframe design tailored for photothermal-based biomedical applications.

Uncovering Photoelectronic and Photothermal Effects in Plasmon-Mediated Electrocatalytic CO2 Reduction.

Plasmon-mediated electrocatalysis that rests on the ability of coupling localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) and electrochemical activation, emerges as an intriguing and booming area. However, its development seriously suffers from the entanglement between the photoelectronic and photothermal effects induced by the decay of plasmons, especially under the influence of applied potential. Herein, using LSPR-mediated CO2 reduction on Ag electrocatalyst as a model system, we quantitatively uncover the dominant photoelectronic effect on CO2 reduction reaction over a wide potential window, in contrast to the leading photothermal effect on H2 evolution reaction at relatively negative potentials. The excitation of LSPR selectively enhances the CO faradaic efficiency (17-fold at -0.6 VRHE ) and partial current density (100-fold at -0.6 VRHE ), suppressing the undesired H2 faradaic efficiency. Furthermore, in situ attenuated total reflection-surface enhanced infrared absorption spectroscopy (ATR-SEIRAS) reveals a plasmon-promoted formation of the bridge-bonded CO on Ag surface via a carbonyl-containing C1 intermediate. The present work demonstrates a deep mechanistic understanding of selective regulation of interfacial reactions by coupling plasmons and electrochemistry.

Uncovering Photoelectronic and Photothermal Effects in Plasmon‐Mediated Electrocatalytic CO2 Reduction

AbstractPlasmon‐mediated electrocatalysis that rests on the ability of coupling localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) and electrochemical activation, emerges as an intriguing and booming area. However, its development seriously suffers from the entanglement between the photoelectronic and photothermal effects induced by the decay of plasmons, especially under the influence of applied potential. Herein, using LSPR‐mediated CO2 reduction on Ag electrocatalyst as a model system, we quantitatively uncover the dominant photoelectronic effect on CO2 reduction reaction over a wide potential window, in contrast to the leading photothermal effect on H2 evolution reaction at relatively negative potentials. The excitation of LSPR selectively enhances the CO faradaic efficiency (17‐fold at −0.6 VRHE) and partial current density (100‐fold at −0.6 VRHE), suppressing the undesired H2 faradaic efficiency. Furthermore, in situ attenuated total reflection‐surface enhanced infrared absorption spectroscopy (ATR‐SEIRAS) reveals a plasmon‐promoted formation of the bridge‐bonded CO on Ag surface via a carbonyl‐containing C1 intermediate. The present work demonstrates a deep mechanistic understanding of selective regulation of interfacial reactions by coupling plasmons and electrochemistry.

Dendritic Ag@c-Si structure for influenza A virus detection by SERS and machine learning

The combination of Surface-enhanced Raman Scattering (SERS) method and machine learning algorithms has been successfully demonstrated for the detection and differentiation of influenza A virus in buffer medium. Dendritic Ag nanostructures on single-crystal Si wafer have been proposed as SERS-active substrates, which are fabricated using a low-cost and reproducible AgNO3 reduction method. Depending on the time of Ag deposition, structures of different morphologies were obtained. These structures were studied by spectroscopic ellipsometry (SE). To analyze the spectra obtained by SE, we used the Bruggeman effective medium approximation to determine the volume fraction and height of the metal, the Drude model to describe free electrons, the Tauc-Lorentz model to describe the influence of interband transitions, as well as Lorentz model and Gauss model to describe localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR). SERS was achieved through LSPR excitation and the presence of “hot spots” in the regions around the tips and in the spaces between close-packed dendritic Ag nanostructures. The sample with the most developed surface is the most promising for SERS, since the spectral position of the LSPR is at 658 nm, which is close to the excitation wavelength of the He–Ne laser. The SERS spectra of influenza A virus in buffer medium are difficult to distinguish, so a machine learning algorithms (principal component analysis and support vector machine) were used to directly classify them. For the sample with the most developed morphology, the detection accuracy of influenza A virus was 76.6 ± 4.2 % at a total protein concentration in the test analyte of 300 μg/ml (according to the Lowry method).

Plasmonic‐assisted Electrocatalysis for CO2 Reduction Reaction

AbstractIntegrating plasmonic features as an emerging strategy for enhancing electrocatalysis for the carbon dioxide reduction reaction (CO2RR). The key parameters responsible for the enhanced electrocatalysis performance are the local heating, the hot carriers, and near‐field enhancement induced by localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR, that is, plasmonic) excitation. This review provides a concise overview of the fundamental mechanism of CO2RR, detailing the generation and decay of plasmonic and the energy transfer dynamics between plasmonic nanostructures and adsorbates. It further involves recent progress in plasmonic‐assisted electrocatalysis for CO2RR, including experimental and theoretical research to decipher plasmonic mechanisms. Finally, it ends with an insightful discussion of the existing challenges and potential future directions in this field.

{111}‐ Faceted Silver Nanoplates: An Automated and Customized Design for Functionality

AbstractSilver nanoparticles (Ag‐NPs) exhibit the highest efficiency of localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) excitation that can be tuned to any wave length in the visible spectrum. Its performance depends to a large extent on its physicochemical characteristics such as size and shape; which, in turn, can be modulated by the selective growth of their crystalline facets. We used a simple direct chemical reduction method with a precise manipulation of seed‐mediated growth control through an automated single‐phase continuous flow‐batch system to induce customized geometries on Ag‐NPs. Optimization of the experimental design was carried out from a multivariate analysis, where the height/width ratio of LSPR band was used as response signal. Proposed methodology controls the critical steps in the synthesis of Ag‐NPs that modulate their morphology to attain customized surface plasmon resonance in an interval of 380 nm (spherical‐shaped nanoparticles) to 925 nm ({111}‐ faceted prism‐shaped nanoplates) absorptions, leading to a versatile platform to extend their potential applications. Although the present work focused on silver nanoparticles, we believe that this methodology can be extended to any free‐electron metals.

Mass spectrometric monitoring of ligand-bridged hot electron transfer and anaerobic oxidization on auto renewable droplet-based plasmonic nanoreactors under visible light illumination

The light induced hot-electron on plasmonic nanostructures has been recognized as a breakthrough discovery for photovoltaic and photocatalytic applications. With mass spectrometry, we demonstrate the dynamics of hot electron transfers of anaerobic oxidization reactions on Au decorated TiO2 plasmonic nanoparticles, which were coated on the inner surface of a flask. Those nanoparticles were covered by continuously renewed liquid droplets of solvent and reactants that were transported through a Venturi jet mixer with auto-spray. In addition to intensive mass transfer in such droplet-based nanoreactors, as well as strong adsorption of reactants and rapid desorption of products on materials surfaces, the localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) excitation upon visible light illumination, by which accumulated energies of plasmons are transferred to electrons in the conduction band of the material, attributes to the efficient photocatalytic transformation. Mass spectrometric detection of intermediate radical anions and negative ions with stable isotope labeling unambiguously identifies that highly energetic hot electrons can escape from the plasmonic nanostructures, be collected by adsorbed molecules, and initiate bond cleavages. It was demonstrated that losses of two H atoms result in the anaerobic oxidization of each benzyl alcohol molecule to a benzyl aldehyde molecule in the absence of molecular oxygen with more than 90 % yields. The well recyclable plasmonic nanoreactors implicate the injection of transferred electrons eventually back to electronically depleted Au+ positive ions. Bridged by adsorbed molecules, electrons were repeatedly circulated back and forth in plasmonic nanoreactors, where the collected light was eventually converted into chemical energy.

Photocatalysis of Metallic Nanoparticles: Interband vs Intraband Induced Mechanisms.

Photocatalysis induced by localized surface plasmon resonance of metallic nanoparticles has been studied for more than a decade, but photocatalysis originating from direct interband excitations is still under-explored. The spectral overlap and the coupling of these two optical regimes also complicate the determination of hot carriers' energy states and eventually hinder the accurate assignment of their catalytic role in studied reactions. In this Featured Article, after reviewing previous studies, we suggest classifying the photoexcitation via intra- and interband transitions where the physical states of hot carriers are well-defined. Intraband transitions are featured by creating hot electrons above the Fermi level and suitable for reductive catalytic pathways, whereas interband transitions are featured by generating hot d-band holes below the Fermi level and better for oxidative catalytic pathways. Since the contribution of intra- and interband transitions are different in the spectral regions of localized surface plasmon resonance and direct interband excitations, the wavelength dependence of the photocatalytic activities is very helpful in assigning which transitions and carriers contribute to the observed catalysis.

Chemical interface damping in single gold nanorods coated with silver via hot electron‐mediated photoreduction

AbstractHerein, we investigated the photoreduction of silver (Ag) ions on gold nanorods coated with mesoporous silica shell (AuNRs@mSiO2) induced by hot electrons generated in Au via localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) excitation. In addition, we investigated chemical interface damping (CID) using pyridine as the adsorbate in single Ag‐coated AuNRs@mSiO2. The Ag deposition caused a blue shift and linewidth broadening of the LSPR peak of the AuNRs@mSiO2. The subsequent chemisorption of pyridine on Ag‐coated AuNRs@mSiO2 resulted in a red shift and additional LSPR linewidth broadening. Finally, we demonstrated real‐time time‐dependent changes in LSPR peak wavelength and linewidth during the sequential processes of hot electron‐mediated Ag deposition and pyridine adsorption on a single AuNR@mSiO2 in a flow cell. Therefore, we provided a deep understanding of hot electron‐triggered Ag coating and CID induced by pyridine adsorption in single AuNRs@mSiO2 coated with Ag.

Plasmonic Nanomaterials in Dark Field Sensing Systems.

Plasma nanoparticles offer promise in data storage, biosensing, optical imaging, photoelectric integration, etc. This review highlights the local surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) excitation mechanism of plasmonic nanoprobes and its critical significance in the control of dark-field sensing, as well as three main sensing strategies based on plasmonic nanomaterial dielectric environment modification, electromagnetic coupling, and charge transfer. This review then describes the component materials of plasmonic nanoprobes based on gold, silver, and other noble metals, as well as their applications. According to this summary, researchers raised the LSPR performance of composite plasmonic nanomaterials by combining noble metals with other metals or oxides and using them in process analysis and quantitative detection.

Plasmonic Au Nanoparticle of a Au/TiO2-C3N4 Heterojunction Boosts up Photooxidation of Benzyl Alcohol Using LED Light.

Plasmonic Au nanoparticles (NPs) employing localized surface plasmon resonance excitation have exhibited superior visible light absorption for many organic transformations. In this work, we prepared a ternary composite catalyst comprising plasmonic Au NPs and a 2D/2D TiO2-C3N4 heterojunction via a photoreduction method of chloroauric acid in the presence of TiO2-C3N4. The introduction of plasmonic nanogold particles embedded onto the TiO2 surface of the TiO2-C3N4 heterojunction can significantly improve the photocatalytic performance during photooxidation of benzyl alcohol to benzaldehyde under mild conditions (1 bar air, white LED irradiation at ambient temperature). The productivity over Au/TiO2-C3N4 (0.25 mmolreactedBA gcat.-1 h-1) is found to be ∼5.6, 8.3, and 8.2-fold of these over the Au/TiO2, TiO2-C3N4, and C3N4-Au-TiO2 heterojunctions, respectively. Trapping experiments and electron spin resonance (ESR) spectroscopy confirm that the superoxide (·O2-) and hydroxyl radicals (·OH) act as the reactive oxygen species during photooxidation. Furthermore, the experimental results combined with density functional theory calculations reveal that the chemisorbed benzyl alcohol population, surface oxygen vacancies, and lifetime of photoexcited electrons and holes are largely improved by plasmonic Au NPs. This study on nanogold composites provides some hints for developing new efficient and practical photocatalysts.

Nano‐Impact Single‐Entity Electrochemistry Enables Plasmon‐Enhanced Electrocatalysis**

AbstractPlasmon‐enhanced electrocatalysis (PEEC), based on a combination of localized surface plasmon resonance excitation and an electrochemical bias applied to a plasmonic material, can result in improved electrical‐to‐chemical energy conversion compared to conventional electrocatalysis. Here, we demonstrate the advantages of nano‐impact single‐entity electrochemistry (SEE) for investigating the intrinsic activity of plasmonic catalysts at the single‐particle level using glucose electrooxidation and oxygen reduction on gold nanoparticles as model reactions. We show that in conventional ensemble measurements, plasmonic effects have minimal impact on photocurrents. We suggest that this is due to the continuous equilibration of the Fermi level (EF) of the deposited gold nanoparticles with the EF of the working electrode, leading to fast neutralization of hot carriers by the measuring circuit. The photocurrents detected in the ensemble measurements are primarily caused by photo‐induced heating of the supporting electrode material. In SEE, the EF of suspended gold nanoparticles is unaffected by the working electrode potential. As a result, plasmonic effects are the dominant source of photocurrents under SEE experimental conditions.

Nano-Impact Single-Entity Electrochemistry Enables Plasmon-Enhanced Electrocatalysis.

Plasmon-enhanced electrocatalysis (PEEC), based on a combination of localized surface plasmon resonance excitation and electrochemical bias applied to a plasmonic material, can result in improved electrical-to-chemical energy conversion compared to conventional electrocatalysis. Here, we demonstrate the advantages of nano-impact single-entity electrochemistry (SEE) for investigating the intrinsic activity of plasmonic catalysts at the single-particle level using glucose electrooxidation and oxygen reduction on gold nanoparticles as model reactions. We show that in conventional ensemble measurements, plasmonic effects have minimal impact on photocurrents. We suggest that this is due to the continuous equilibration of the Fermi level (EF) of the deposited gold nanoparticles with the EF of the working electrode, leading to fast neutralization of hot carriers by the measuring circuit. The photocurrents detected in the ensemble measurements are caused by photo-induced heating of the supporting electrode material. In SEE, the EF of suspended gold nanoparticles is unaffected by the working electrode potential. As a result, plasmonic effects are the dominant source of photocurrents under SEE experimental conditions.

Silver and Gold Containing Compounds of p-Block Elements As Perspective Materials for UV Plasmonics.

We present a review of phase formation tendencies, methods for preparation and optical properties of alloys and compounds from the binary systems of silver or gold with metals and metalloids from the p-block of the Periodic system of elements. Reference data about the homogeneity regions in the systems of interest, together with information about the crystalline structure of existing indexed compounds in them, is proposed and statistically analyzed. General background for the synthesis of intermetallic alloys and compounds, and the tendencies for their preparation for plasmonic purposes are presented. The high plasma frequency, ωp of p-block metals makes their alloys with silver and gold an interesting object of study, due to the possibility of ωp variation over a wide interval in the ultraviolet (UV) spectral region with a view to finding more efficient materials for excitation of a localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) necessary for various applications and techniques operating in this part of the electromagnetic spectrum. Unlike the alloys between the noble metals Cu, Ag, and Au, which form continuous series of solid solutions, different areas can be observed in the phase diagrams of the Ag(Au)-p-block systems, containing solid solutions, intermetallic compounds, and heterogeneous mixtures. The ability to vary the plasma frequency of solid solutions, like the alloys between the noble metals Cu, Ag, and Au, is the reason to pay attention to the compositions of the Ag(Au-p-block systems that fall in these regions of their phase diagrams. The analysis of the published results for complex permittivity shows that the addition of small amounts of conductive p-block elements to noble metals reduces the energy gap for interband transitions and increases their plasmonic activity in the UV spectral range. The article analyzes the relationship between electrical resistivity and LSPR excitation efficiency, which shows that the intermetallic compounds from Ag(Au)-p-block systems with a well-ordered crystalline structure and good conductivity level can be more effective materials for UV plasmonics than the boundary solid solutions. Intermetallic compounds can be easily obtained in the form of bulk samples, thin films, and nanoparticles with controlled size and geometric shape. The spectral dependences of the plasmon efficiency of the intermetallic compounds, determined from their complex permittivity functions, show that they are promising materials for excitation of LSPR in the UV spectral region.

Multi-Wavelength-Recognizable Memristive Devices via Surface Plasmon Resonance Effect for Color Visual System.

Photoelectric memristor has attracted many attentions thanks to their promising potential in optical communication chips and artificial vision systems. However, the implementation of an artificial visual system based on memristive devices remains a considerable challenge because most photoelectric memristors cannot recognize color. Herein, multi-wavelength recognizable memristive devices based on silver(Ag) nanoparticles (NPs) and porous silicon oxide (SiOx ) nanocomposites are presented. Rely on the effects of localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) and optical excitation of Ag NPs in SiOx , the set voltage of the device can be gradually reduced. Moreover, the current overshoot problem is alleviated to suppress conducting filament overgrowth after visible light irradiation with different wavelengths, resulting in diverse low resistance states (LRS). Taking advantage of the characteristics of controlled switching voltage and LRS resistance distribution, color image recognition is finally realized in the present work. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and conductive atomic force microscopy (C-AFM) show that the light irradiation plays an important role on resistive switching (RS) process: the photo-assisted Ag ionization leads to a significant reduction of set voltage and overshoot current. This work provides an effective method toward the development of multi-wavelength-recognizable memristive devices for future artificial color vision system.

Translucent-Colored radiative coolers based on localized surface plasmon resonances for Energy-Efficient windows

Translucent-colored (TC) windows, employed for both light-gathering and decoration, would inevitably bring about a large thermal load mainly due to the solar heating effect of coloration, but few studies have been performed on minimizing the thermal load of TC windows. Herein, we propose a translucent-colored passive daytime radiative cooling (TC-PDRC) strategy by embedding plain Au or Au@SiO2 core–shell nanoparticles in a polymeric polyvinyl alcohol matrix, simultaneously exciting the localized surface plasmon resonances (LSPRs) with a narrowband solar absorption for coloration and improving the thermal radiation with a high thermal emittance for radiative heat dissipation. Compared with the conventional TC films used in TC windows, the experimentally prepared yellow, red, purple, and blue TC-PDRC films exhibit a higher visible transmittance (≥72.81 %), a lower visible absorptance (≤19.83 %), and a higher infrared thermal emittance (≥92.39 %), facilitating a reduced thermal load. The field measurements show that the temperatures of the testing chamber covered by the TC-PDRC films are 3.6–5.4 °C lower than that of the chamber covered by the conventional TC film during the midday period, as also confirmed by the indoor measurements. This work reveals that the excitation of LSPRs provides a pathway for controlling the thermal load, mitigating the dilemma between energy-efficient applications and aesthetic purposes.

Graphene Oxide-Wrapped Gold Nanorods for Direct Plasmon-Enhanced Electrocatalysis to Detect Hydrogen Peroxide and in the Hydrogen Evaluation Reaction

The modulation of electronic characteristics of a two-dimensional (2-D) graphene oxide (GO) nanosheet with plasmonic hot charge carrier doping is of great scientific prominence for improving and expanding its diverse applications in health and energy fields. Herein, we report a nanohybrid system of reduced GO-wrapped gold nanorods (GNRs) for plasmon acceleration under localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) excitation photoelectrochemical (PEC) biosensing of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), followed by the early-stage detection of human cancer cells as well as hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) for energy production. A tremendously sensitive H2O2 biosensor device is constructed (GNRs@rGO/GC), which exhibits ∼4-fold enhanced electrocatalytic activity under 808 nm LSPR excitation (2 W/cm2), with a wide linear range from 5 μM to 10 mM, along with a lower limit of detection and sensitivity of 2.35 μM and 30.26 μA mM–1 cm–2, respectively. It is now proposed that the enhanced generation of hot charge carriers followed by their effective transportation and separation and an attentive electromagnetic field with a photothermal effect mainly contribute to the superior photoelectrocatalysis reaction, which is also directly related to the pH of a medium, light wavelength, and light intensity. The electrode device is finally applied for the PEC biosensing of cancer cells (HeLa) by measuring the current response of a released cancer biomarker (H2O2). Herein, we also report the plasmon-accelerated superior HER catalytic performance by the GNRs@rGO/GC device, where we found the decreased onset potential of 90 mV with an overpotential (η) of −0.386 V at 10 mV cm–2 and a Tafel slope of ∼81 mV dec–1 under LSPR excitation. This study reveals the plasmon-enhanced electrochemical performances of a plasmonic@2-D SC heterostructure nanohybrid material and henceforth makes it a potential candidate for electroanalysis, electrochemical energy conversion, electrochemical devices, and biomedical applications.

Plasmon-enhanced electroreduction activity of Au-AgPd Janus nanoparticles for ochratoxin a detection

Ochratoxin A (OTA) was a dangerous biological toxin, and would easily contaminate food and induced food safety problems. The development of electrochemical aptasensors by designing strong and anti-interfere electroactive labels could improve the sensitivity and accuracy of OTA detection. In this contribution, novel electroactive Au-AgPd Janus NPs were firstly synthesized and exhibited electroreduction signal at −0.4 V, owing to the reduction process of Pd2+. The electroreduction signal was amplified 1.5 times under local surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) excitation, which could improve the sensitivity of OTA detection. Plasmon-enhanced electroreduction principle of Au-AgPd Janus NPs was verified, which endowed electrochemical aptasensor with high accuracy and anti-interference ability for OTA detection. Au-AgPd Janus NPs served as electrochemical beacon achieved sensitive and accurate OTA detection with the limit of detection (LOD) of 0.98 pM. This work opens up new directions for the construction of electroactive heterostructures for the sensitive and accurate biotoxins electroanalytical applications.

Controlled gold–palladium cores in ceria hollow spheres as nanoreactor for plasmon-enhanced catalysis under visible light irradiation

Visible-light-driven organic transformations boosting by localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) have been attracting considerable interests. Gold-palladium (Au-Pd) bimetallic nanoparticles (NPs) are considered as ideal plasmonic catalysts realizing efficient light-driven catalysis. Nevertheless, stability and adjustability of plasmonic Au-Pd NPs remain to be a challenging task. Herein, we designed the controlled Au-Pd cores in ceria (CeO2) hollow spheres (Au-Pd@h-CeO2) as nanoreactor for Suzuki cross-coupling reactions. Under visible light irradiation, the Au-Pd@h-CeO2 exhibited remarkable photocatalytic performance with a turnover frequency (TOF) value as high as 797 h−1. More impressively, the coupling reactions of aryl chlorides bearing electron-withdrawing groups proceeded better and afforded the corresponding desired products in good yields. Detailed structural, optical and photoelectrochemical characterizations unraveled that the enhanced photocatalytic efficiency of Au-Pd@h-CeO2 was attributed to the LSPR effect of controllable Au-Pd cores and their synergetic effect of hollow CeO2 shells. The merits of this hollow sphere architecture lied on as followed: (I) Incident light could be reflected and refracted between the inner cores and outer shells, which extended the trapping of incident light, and then enhanced the light harvesting efficiency; (II) the mesoporous architecture of CeO2 hollow spheres provided a huge specific surface area and numerous mesoporous channels, which could enhance the absorption of reactants and provided more active sites; (III) LSPR excitation of Au-Pd NPs and band-gap excitation of CeO2 simultaneously occurred under visible light illumination, inducing a more efficient separation and transfer of charge carriers. Furthermore, due to the confinment effect of CeO2 shells, the Au-Pd@h-CeO2 exhibited an excellent reusability after six cycles without significant deactivation of yield. Our findings provided a facile way to design highly efficient plasmonic-enhanced photocatalysts utilized for catalytic organic reactions.