Cu-Atom-Doped CsPbBr₃ Nanocrystals for Enhanced Photocatalytic CO₂ Reduction Reaction

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Photocatalysis
• Nanotechnology

Background:

• Photocatalytic CO2 reduction (CO2RR) offers a sustainable route to carbon neutrality by utilizing solar energy.
• All-inorganic halide perovskite nanocrystals (e.g., CsPbBr3) show promise as photocatalysts due to their optoelectronic properties.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop copper-atom-doped CsPbBr3 perovskite nanocrystals (Cu-CsPbBr3 PNCs).
• To elucidate the role of single Cu atoms in modulating the photocatalytic CO2RR performance of CsPbBr3 PNCs.

Main Methods:

• Synthesis of Cu-CsPbBr3 PNCs.
• Structural characterization using XRD, HAADF-STEM, and XAS.
• Photocatalytic CO2RR experiments.
• Carrier dynamics analysis using TRPL and TA spectroscopy.

Main Results:

• Structural analyses confirmed uniform atomic distribution of Cu as single atoms within the CsPbBr3 lattice.
• Optimal Cu doping significantly enhanced CO production rate (2.80 μmol g−1 h−1) compared to pristine CsPbBr3 (1.47 μmol g−1 h−1).
• TRPL and TA spectroscopy revealed efficient carrier trapping by single Cu atoms, reducing carrier lifetime and enhancing charge transfer.

Conclusions:

• Enhanced photocatalytic activity of Cu-CsPbBr3 PNCs is attributed to efficient nonradiative charge transfer from photoexcited CsPbBr3 to dopant Cu atoms.
• Single Cu atom doping is an effective strategy to improve the efficiency of perovskite-based photocatalysts for CO2 reduction.
• This approach provides a general pathway for designing advanced metal-atom-doped perovskite photocatalysts for sustainable energy applications.