Planar heterojunction boosts solar-driven photocatalytic performance and stability of halide perovskite solar photocatalyst cell

Chunhua Wang; Haowei Huang; Bo Weng; Davy Verhaeghe; Masoumeh Keshavarz; Handong Jin; Biao Liu; Haipeng Xie; Yang Ding; Yujie Gao; Haifeng Yuan; Julian A. Steele; Johan Hofkens; Maarten B.J. Roeffaers

doi:10.1016/j.apcatb.2021.120760

Planar heterojunction boosts solar-driven photocatalytic performance and stability of halide perovskite solar photocatalyst cell

Chunhua Wang, Haowei Huang, Bo Weng, Davy Verhaeghe, Masoumeh Keshavarz, Handong Jin, Biao Liu, Haipeng Xie, Yang Ding, Yujie Gao, Haifeng Yuan, Julian A. Steele, Johan Hofkens, Maarten B.J. Roeffaers

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

The excellent optoelectronic properties of metal halide perovskites (MHPs) have been employed in various photocatalytic applications, but their poor water stability is considered as the main bottleneck for further development. Herein, we protect the light-absorbing CsPbBr₃ MHP with a NiO_x and TiO₂ hole and electron extracting layer. This planar NiO_x/CsPbBr₃/TiO₂ architecture can easily be fabricated through solution-processing. When applied to selective photocatalytic oxidation of benzyl alcohol, this system presents a 7-fold enhancement of photoactivity and an improved stability for over 90 h compared to CsPbBr₃ counterpart. Interestingly, we find that trace amounts of water improve photoactivity. Through experimental and theoretical analyses, this improvement could be attributed to water-induced structural reorganization of MHP, leading to improved crystal quality and decreased effective masses of charge carriers. This work indicates planar heterojunction helps improve the photoactivity and stability of MHP photocatalyst, and our findings provide insights into the effect of water on MHPs.

Original language	English
Article number	120760
Journal	Applied Catalysis. B: Environmental
Volume	301
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apcatb.2021.120760
Publication status	Published - Feb 2022

Funding

The authors acknowledge financial support from the Research Foundation – Flanders (FWO grant nos. G.0B39.15 , G.0B49.15 , G098319N , 12Y7221N , 12Y6418N and ZW15_09-GOH6316N ), the KU Leuven Research Fund ( C14/19/079 , iBOF-21-085 PERSIST ), KU Leuven Industrial Research Fund ( C3/19/046 ), the Flemish government through long term structural funding Methusalem ( CASAS2 , Meth/15/04 ), and MPI financial support to J.H. as an MPI fellow. C.W. acknowledges the financial support from the China Scholarship Council.

Funders	Funder number
KU Leuven Industrial Research Fund	C3/19/046
Research Foundation – Flanders
Fonds Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek	12Y6418N, 12Y7221N, G098319N
Fonds Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek
KULeuven	C14/19/079
KULeuven
China Scholarship Council
Vlaamse regering	Meth/15/04
Vlaamse regering

Keywords

Metal halide perovskites
Planar heterojunction
Solar photocatalyst cell
Stability

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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10.1016/j.apcatb.2021.120760

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Wang, C., Huang, H., Weng, B., Verhaeghe, D., Keshavarz, M., Jin, H., Liu, B., Xie, H., Ding, Y., Gao, Y., Yuan, H., Steele, J. A., Hofkens, J., & Roeffaers, M. B. J. (2022). Planar heterojunction boosts solar-driven photocatalytic performance and stability of halide perovskite solar photocatalyst cell. Applied Catalysis. B: Environmental, 301, Article 120760. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apcatb.2021.120760

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title = "Planar heterojunction boosts solar-driven photocatalytic performance and stability of halide perovskite solar photocatalyst cell",

abstract = "The excellent optoelectronic properties of metal halide perovskites (MHPs) have been employed in various photocatalytic applications, but their poor water stability is considered as the main bottleneck for further development. Herein, we protect the light-absorbing CsPbBr3 MHP with a NiOx and TiO2 hole and electron extracting layer. This planar NiOx/CsPbBr3/TiO2 architecture can easily be fabricated through solution-processing. When applied to selective photocatalytic oxidation of benzyl alcohol, this system presents a 7-fold enhancement of photoactivity and an improved stability for over 90 h compared to CsPbBr3 counterpart. Interestingly, we find that trace amounts of water improve photoactivity. Through experimental and theoretical analyses, this improvement could be attributed to water-induced structural reorganization of MHP, leading to improved crystal quality and decreased effective masses of charge carriers. This work indicates planar heterojunction helps improve the photoactivity and stability of MHP photocatalyst, and our findings provide insights into the effect of water on MHPs.",

keywords = "Metal halide perovskites, Planar heterojunction, Solar photocatalyst cell, Stability",

author = "Chunhua Wang and Haowei Huang and Bo Weng and Davy Verhaeghe and Masoumeh Keshavarz and Handong Jin and Biao Liu and Haipeng Xie and Yang Ding and Yujie Gao and Haifeng Yuan and Steele, {Julian A.} and Johan Hofkens and Roeffaers, {Maarten B.J.}",

note = "Funding Information: The authors acknowledge financial support from the Research Foundation – Flanders (FWO grant nos. G.0B39.15 , G.0B49.15 , G098319N , 12Y7221N , 12Y6418N and ZW15_09-GOH6316N ), the KU Leuven Research Fund ( C14/19/079 , iBOF-21-085 PERSIST ), KU Leuven Industrial Research Fund ( C3/19/046 ), the Flemish government through long term structural funding Methusalem ( CASAS2 , Meth/15/04 ), and MPI financial support to J.H. as an MPI fellow. C.W. acknowledges the financial support from the China Scholarship Council. Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2021 Elsevier B.V.",

year = "2022",

month = feb,

doi = "10.1016/j.apcatb.2021.120760",

language = "English",

volume = "301",

journal = "Applied Catalysis. B: Environmental",

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Wang, C, Huang, H, Weng, B, Verhaeghe, D, Keshavarz, M, Jin, H, Liu, B, Xie, H, Ding, Y, Gao, Y, Yuan, H, Steele, JA, Hofkens, J & Roeffaers, MBJ 2022, 'Planar heterojunction boosts solar-driven photocatalytic performance and stability of halide perovskite solar photocatalyst cell', Applied Catalysis. B: Environmental, vol. 301, 120760. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apcatb.2021.120760

TY - JOUR

T1 - Planar heterojunction boosts solar-driven photocatalytic performance and stability of halide perovskite solar photocatalyst cell

AU - Wang, Chunhua

AU - Huang, Haowei

AU - Weng, Bo

AU - Verhaeghe, Davy

AU - Keshavarz, Masoumeh

AU - Jin, Handong

AU - Liu, Biao

AU - Xie, Haipeng

AU - Ding, Yang

AU - Gao, Yujie

AU - Yuan, Haifeng

AU - Steele, Julian A.

AU - Hofkens, Johan

AU - Roeffaers, Maarten B.J.

N1 - Funding Information: The authors acknowledge financial support from the Research Foundation – Flanders (FWO grant nos. G.0B39.15 , G.0B49.15 , G098319N , 12Y7221N , 12Y6418N and ZW15_09-GOH6316N ), the KU Leuven Research Fund ( C14/19/079 , iBOF-21-085 PERSIST ), KU Leuven Industrial Research Fund ( C3/19/046 ), the Flemish government through long term structural funding Methusalem ( CASAS2 , Meth/15/04 ), and MPI financial support to J.H. as an MPI fellow. C.W. acknowledges the financial support from the China Scholarship Council. Publisher Copyright: © 2021 Elsevier B.V.

PY - 2022/2

Y1 - 2022/2

N2 - The excellent optoelectronic properties of metal halide perovskites (MHPs) have been employed in various photocatalytic applications, but their poor water stability is considered as the main bottleneck for further development. Herein, we protect the light-absorbing CsPbBr3 MHP with a NiOx and TiO2 hole and electron extracting layer. This planar NiOx/CsPbBr3/TiO2 architecture can easily be fabricated through solution-processing. When applied to selective photocatalytic oxidation of benzyl alcohol, this system presents a 7-fold enhancement of photoactivity and an improved stability for over 90 h compared to CsPbBr3 counterpart. Interestingly, we find that trace amounts of water improve photoactivity. Through experimental and theoretical analyses, this improvement could be attributed to water-induced structural reorganization of MHP, leading to improved crystal quality and decreased effective masses of charge carriers. This work indicates planar heterojunction helps improve the photoactivity and stability of MHP photocatalyst, and our findings provide insights into the effect of water on MHPs.

AB - The excellent optoelectronic properties of metal halide perovskites (MHPs) have been employed in various photocatalytic applications, but their poor water stability is considered as the main bottleneck for further development. Herein, we protect the light-absorbing CsPbBr3 MHP with a NiOx and TiO2 hole and electron extracting layer. This planar NiOx/CsPbBr3/TiO2 architecture can easily be fabricated through solution-processing. When applied to selective photocatalytic oxidation of benzyl alcohol, this system presents a 7-fold enhancement of photoactivity and an improved stability for over 90 h compared to CsPbBr3 counterpart. Interestingly, we find that trace amounts of water improve photoactivity. Through experimental and theoretical analyses, this improvement could be attributed to water-induced structural reorganization of MHP, leading to improved crystal quality and decreased effective masses of charge carriers. This work indicates planar heterojunction helps improve the photoactivity and stability of MHP photocatalyst, and our findings provide insights into the effect of water on MHPs.

KW - Metal halide perovskites

KW - Planar heterojunction

KW - Solar photocatalyst cell

KW - Stability

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U2 - 10.1016/j.apcatb.2021.120760

DO - 10.1016/j.apcatb.2021.120760

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:85116515614

SN - 0926-3373

VL - 301

JO - Applied Catalysis. B: Environmental

JF - Applied Catalysis. B: Environmental

M1 - 120760

ER -

Planar heterojunction boosts solar-driven photocatalytic performance and stability of halide perovskite solar photocatalyst cell

Abstract

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Keywords

UN SDGs

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