In Situ Formation of Bismuth-Based Perovskite Heterostructures for High-Performance Cocatalyst-Free Photocatalytic Hydrogen Evolution

Solar-to-fuel conversion with organic–inorganic hybrid halide perovskites has attracted growing attention as a result of their excellent optoelectronic properties as well as the low temperature of the solution based fabrication process. However, the most comprehensively developed hybrid perovskite materials are comprised of the toxic metal lead, raising concerns about environmental health threats. Herein, a lead-free bismuth (Bi)-based hybrid perovskite showing in situ growth of heterojunctions is successfully developed at the interface of methylammonium bismuth iodide (MA₃Bi₂I₉) and tri(dimethylammonium) hexa-iodobismuthate (DMA₃BiI₆) by a facile solvent engineering technique. The air-stable MA₃Bi₂I₉/DMA₃BiI₆ perovskite heterostructure with enhanced photoinduced charge separation exhibit outstanding visible-light-induced photocatalytic activity for H₂ evolution in aqueous hydrogen iodide solution. The powdered MA₃Bi₂I₉/DMA₃BiI₆ heterostructured composite (BBP-5) shows a H₂ evolution rate of 198.2 µmol h⁻¹ g⁻¹ without the addition of Pt co-catalysts under 100 mW cm⁻² of visible-light (λ ≥ 420 nm) illumination.