Photorechargeable Lead-Free Perovskite Lithium-Ion Batteries Using Hexagonal Cs3Bi2I9 Nanosheets

Materials that enable bifunctional operation in harvesting and storing energy are currently in high demand, due to their potential to efficiently use renewable solar energy. Here, we present a lead-free, all-inorganic, bismuth-based perovskite halide, which acts as a photoelectrode that can harvest energy under illumination without the assistance of an external load in a lithium-ion battery. The battery performance is shown using three different current collectors: copper, fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) and carbon felt (CF) to exhibit the electrode's function as a normal coin cell, as a basic photobattery with a transparent collector to elucidate its functional mechanism, and as an optimized photobattery displaying competitive metrics with other photobatteries obtaining a photo conversion efficiency of similar to 0.43% for the first discharge. Upon discharging under illumination, we observed an increase in capacity from 410 to 975 mA.h.g(-1). Further exploration in anode structure and design provides a path toward more efficient photobatteries.

Automated summary

The study introduces a lead-free all-inorganic bismuth-based perovskite halide as a photoelectrode for energy harvesting in lithium-ion batteries without the need for external load. The performance of the battery using different current collectors demonstrates the electrode's various functions, and further exploration in anode structure and design shows potential for more efficient photobatteries.