Development of Self-Assembled Monolayers of Lead-Free Double Halide Perovskites on Commercial Glass Substrates for Photocatalysis Applications

• Grant number: 24/15731-5
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: November 01, 2024
• End date: October 31, 2025
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Chemistry - Inorganic Chemistry
• Principal Investigator: Danilo Manzani
• Grantee: Vitória Cássia Alves de Melo
• Host Institution: Instituto de Química de São Carlos (IQSC). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Carlos , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 22/11983-4 - Spectroscopy signal enhancement: nanomaterials, theory, and computer simulation, AP.TEM

Abstract

With the growing integration of nanotechnology, glass substrates are valued for their properties such as optical transparency and chemical resistance, making them especially promising for functionalization with nanomaterials. This research focuses on the functionalization of glass substrates with lead-free double halide perovskites, an alternative for applications in photocatalysis. The motivation for this research stems from the need to improve the recovery and reuse of semiconductors in photocatalytic processes. The experimental methodology includes the synthesis of Cs¿AgBi¿¿xInxCl¿-type double halide perovskite nanocrystals via hot-injection, followed by their deposition on glass substrates that have been chemically functionalized with phosphonic acid-derived molecules. The system characterization techniques include grazing incidence X-ray diffraction, UV/Vis spectroscopy, and photoluminescence, among others. The application of the functionalized substrates will be tested in photocatalytic processes for the degradation of glycerol, a byproduct in biodiesel production, aiming at the generation of high-value-added molecules.