  Incorporation of catalytically active materials into plasmonic metal
nanostructures can efficiently merge the reactivity and energy harvesting
abilities of both types of materials for visible light photocatalysis. Here we
explore the influence of electromagnetic hotspots in the ability of plasmonic
core-shell colloidal structures to induce chemical transformations. For this
study, we developed a synthetic strategy for the fabrication of Au nanoparticle
(NP) trimers in aqueous solution through fine controlled galvanic replacement
between Ag nanoprisms and Au precursors. Core-shell Au@M NP trimers with
catalytically active metals (M = Pd, Pt) were subsequently synthesized using Au
NP trimers as templates. Our experimental and computational results highlight
the synergy of geometry and composition in plasmonic catalysts for
plasmon-driven chemical reactions.
