Colloidal titanium nitride nanobars for broadband inexpensive plasmonics and photochemistry from visible to mid-IR wavelengths

Developing colloidal plasmonic nanomaterials with high carrier density that show optical resonances and photochemical activity extending from the visible to mid-infrared (MIR) ranges remains a challenging pursuit. Here, we report fabrication of titanium nitride (TiN) nanobars obtained using two step procedure based on wet chemical route synthesis TiO2 nanowires their subsequent temperature annealing in ammonia flow. Electromagnetic simulations resulting TiN reveal rich set featuring transverse, longitudinal mixed transverse modes cover energies MIR region. decorated Pt co catalyst nanocrystals enhanced photocatalytic hydrogen evolution comparison both isotropic nanospheres similar size nanocubes under near infrared excitation at 940 nm due hot electron generation. We also demonstrate can be used for detection furfural molecular vibrations by providing strong surface absorption (SEIRA) effect