Solvent selection and Pt decoration towards enhanced photocatalytic CO2 reduction over CsPbBr3 perovskite single crystals

Abstract

The photocatalytic reduction of CO₂ into chemical fuels is one of the most important artificial photosynthesis processes, which can simulate the natural photosynthesis in green plants, and it will be a crucial procedure in the carbon neutral economy. In the current study, we report that inorganic CsPbBr₃ perovskite submicron single crystals can exhibit photocatalytic reduction of CO₂ directly on their surface with high stability and selectivity in several nonaqueous solvents. The solvent effects have been well studied, which finally leads to an approximately 25-fold enhancement in the photocatalytic reaction rate by substituting toluene with ethyl acetate. The loading of a Pt co-catalyst via a photochemical deposition process further doubled the electron yield rate, which finally reached 5.6 μmol g⁻¹ h⁻¹, thereby implying that the optimization of the reaction media and surface catalytic activity are of key importance for the superior photocatalytic performance of halide perovskite materials.