Proceedings of Online seminar on properties of perovskite solar cells (CPPSC20)
Publication date: 12th March 2020
Inspired by the outstanding optoelectronic properties reported for all-inorganic halide perovskite quantum dots (QDs), we have evaluated the potential of these materials
toward the photocatalytic and photoelectrochemical degradation of organic compounds, taking the oxidation of 2-mercaptobenzothiazole (MBT) as a proof-of-concept. First, we determined electrochemically the energy levels of dispersions of perovskite QDs with different band gaps induced by the different ratios between halides (Br and I) and metallic cations (Pb and Sn). Then, we selected CsPbBr3 QDs to demonstrate the photocatalytic and photoelectrochemical oxidation of MBT, confirming that hole injection takes place from CsPbBr3 QDs to MBT, resulting in the total degradation of MBT as evidenced by electrospray mass spectrometry analyses. Although the stability and toxicity of these QDs are major issues to address in the near future, the results obtained in the present study open promising perspectives for the implementation of solar-driven catalytic strategies based on these fascinating materials.
We would like to acknowledge financial support from the European Commission via ERC Consolidator Grant (724424 - No-LIMIT), Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades of Spain (ENE2017-85087-C3-1-R), University Jaume I (SOLENPE UJI-B2016-05), and the Generalitat Valenciana through the Santiago Grisolia Program, Grant 2015-031. Serveis Centrals at UJI (SCIC) are also acknowledged for assistance with TEM and XRD characterization along with the Molecular Foundry of Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory for UPS measurements and CONACyT-SENER-2015-07 Project 269386.