Lead-free halide perovskite hollow nanospheres to boost photocatalytic activity for CO2 reduction

• Published in: Applied catalysis. B, Environmental Environmental, 2023-12, Vol.338, p.123024, Article 123024
• Main Authors: Mu, Yan-Fei, Zhao, Jin-Shuang, Wu, Li-Yuan, Tao, Ke-Ying, Liu, Zhao-Lei, Bai, Fu-Quan, Zhong, Di-Chang, Zhang, Min, Lu, Tong-Bu
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: CO2 reduction; Cs3Sb2Br9; Dinuclear metal complex; Hollow nanospheres; Lead-free perovskite
• ISSN: 0926-3373; 1873-3883
• DOI: 10.1016/j.apcatb.2023.123024

Strong photoresponse, efficient charge separation, and high surface activity are three important requirements for an ideal photocatalyst, while few photocatalysts can fully meet these requirements. Herein, we report such a photocatalyst based on lead-free halide perovskite hollow nanospheres (H-Cs3Sb2Br9) by a facile antisolvent-assisted method. The hollow structure of H-Cs3Sb2Br9 improves the light-harvesting performance; The formation of surface shallow trap states contributes to promoting the excited-carrier separation; The ligand-free termination surface of H-Cs3Sb2Br9 facilitates the exposure of Br vacancies and active sites, thus strengthens the CO2 adsorption and accelerates surface reactivity dynamics. As a result, with a dinuclear Co(II) complex as the co-catalyst, H-Cs3Sb2Br9 exhibits a record-high photocatalytic activity for CO2 reduction, with a CO yield of 15,010.4 ± 550.4 μmol g−1 after 8 h of illumination under simulated solar light (100 mW cm−2). This research presents a new way to develop cost-effective photocatalysts for CO2 reduction. A lead-free halide perovskite hollow nanosphere was prepared by a facile antisolvent-assisted method. This photocatalyst features enhanced light-absorption ability, effective charge separation and transfer, as well as high surface reactivity, thus exhibiting a record-high photocatalytic activity for CO2 reduction. [Display omitted] •Lead-free halide perovskite nanospheres with hollow structure (H-Cs3Sb2Br9) was prepared for the first time.•H-Cs3Sb2Br9 possesses strong photoresponse, efficient charge separation, and high surface activity.•Co2L-H-Cs3Sb2Br9 shows a record-high photoreduction CO2 activity with CO yield of 15,010.4 μmol g−1 at the AM1.5 conditions.