Triple-layered Sillen-Aurivillius Perovskite Oxychloride Bi5PbTi3O14Cl as a Visible-light-responsive Photocatalyst for Water Splitting

Abstract

We show that oxyhalide Bi5PbTi3O14Cl is a potential photocatalyst for visible-light-induced water splitting owing to the appropriate band levels for both water reduction and oxidation. The present oxyhalide, the first example of an active material with a triple-layered Sillen-Aurivillius perovskite structure, is found to possess a more negative valence band maximum and a smaller bandgap than those of analogous oxide Bi4Ti3O12, because of stronger hybridization between Bi/Pb-6s and O-2p orbitals.