CrystallineTiO2（P25）andisolatedtitanatespeciesinaZSM-5structure（TS-1）weremodifiedwithAuandAg,respectively,andtestedinthegas-phasephotocatalyticCO2reductionunderhighpurityconditions.Thenoblemetalmodificationwasperformedbyphotodeposition.LightabsorbancepropertiesofthecatalystsareexaminedwithUV–Visspectroscopybeforeandaftertheactivitytest.Inthegas-phasephotocatalyticCO2reduction,itwasobservedthatthecatalystswithAgnanostructuresaremoreactivethanthosewithAunanostructures.Itisthusfoundthattheenergeticdifferencebetweenthebandgapenergyofthesemiconductorandthepositionoftheplasmonisinfluencingthephotocatalyticactivity.Potentially,plasmonexcitationduetovisiblelightabsorptionresultsinplasmonresonanceenergy,whichaffectstheexcitationofthesemiconductorpositively.Therefore,anoverlapbetweenbandgapenergyofthesemiconductorandmetalplasmonisneeded.
