Presentation: 2025 ND EPSCoR Annual conference 

October 21, 2025, NDSU Memorial Union, Fargo, North Dakota

Metal Halide Perovskite Nanocrystals as a Photocatalyst for Reduction of CO2

Addressing the depletion of fossil fuels, global CO2 emissions and energy crises is paramount to future sustainability. One opportunity to tackle all three of these issues is the photocatalytic reduction of CO2 to chemical fuels. Photocatalysts such as TiO2 have shown promise but only absorb light in the UV spectrum. Metal halide perovskite nanocrystals (MHPs) have garnered great interest; having full visible spectrum light absorption, high surface area, long carrier lifetimes and intrinsic defect tolerance. The greatest strength of these ideal candidates is the ability to tune the bandgap through changing particle size; composition and surface engineering; and compositing with a co-catalyst. Due to stability issues, researchers have had to employ such strategies as encapsulation, forming heterojunctions and using co-catalysts such as reduced graphene oxides (rGO) and metal organic frameworks (MOFs). This improves stability with the added benefit of increased adsorption sites, improved charge transfer; allowing for fuel generation including methane, methanol, carbon monoxide and formic acid. Herein, we compare two synthesis methods, hot injection and ligand-assisted reprecipitation (LARP), for their upscaling potential. Hot injection has shown to produce monodispersed nanocubes in the 8 nm range while LARP had mixed results from nanocubes to large nanosheets. With further synthesis and reactor testing, the best MHP photocatalyst can provide an inexpensive and favorable replacement to current CO2 reduction technology.