Boosting electrocatalytic hydrogen evolution by plasmon-driven hot-electron excitation

. The HER enhancement can be largely attributed to the efficient charge transfer of N-doped carbon that fastens the injection of hot electrons from plasmonic Au nanoparticles. This study highlights the increase of HER catalysis efficiency by plasmonic excitation and could provide new avenues towards the design of higher energy conversion catalytic water splitting systems with the assistance of light energy.