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Title: New Type of 2D Perovskites with Alternating Cations in the Interlayer Space, (C(NH2)3)(CH3NH3)nPbnI3n+1: Structure, Properties, and Photovoltaic Performance

Journal Article · · Journal of the American Chemical Society
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1021/jacs.7b09096· OSTI ID:1599738
 [1]; ORCiD logo [1]; ORCiD logo [2]; ORCiD logo [2];  [3];  [3];  [1]; ORCiD logo [2]; ORCiD logo [4]; ORCiD logo [3]; ORCiD logo [2]; ORCiD logo [1]; ORCiD logo [1]
  1. Northwestern Univ., Evanston, IL (United States)
  2. Université de Rennes (France)
  3. Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
  4. Univ. of California, Santa Barbara, CA (United States)

In this study, we present the new homologous series (C(NH2)3)(CH3NH3)nPbnI3n+1 (n = 1, 2, 3) of layered 2D perovskites. Structural characterization by single-crystal X-ray diffraction reveals that these compounds adopt an unprecedented structure type, which is stabilized by the alternating ordering of the guanidinium and methylammonium cations in the interlayer space (ACI). Compared to the more common Ruddlesden–Popper (RP) 2D perovskites, the ACI perovskites have a different stacking motif and adopt a higher crystal symmetry. The higher symmetry of the ACI perovskites is expressed in their physical properties, which show a characteristic decrease of the bandgap with respect to their RP perovskite counterparts with the same perovskite layer thickness (n). The compounds show a monotonic decrease in the optical gap as n increases: Eg = 2.27 eV for n = 1 to Eg = 1.99 eV for n = 2 and Eg = 1.73 eV for n = 3, which show slightly narrower gaps compared to the corresponding RP perovskites. First-principles theoretical electronic structure calculations confirm the experimental optical gap trends suggesting that the ACI perovskites are direct bandgap semiconductors with wide valence and conduction bandwidths. To assess the potential of the ACI perovskites toward solar cell applications, we studied the (C(NH2)3)(CH3NH3)3Pb3I10 (n = 3) compound. Compact thin films from the (C(NH2)3)(CH3NH3)3Pb3I10 compound with excellent surface coverage can be obtained from the antisolvent dripping method. Planar photovoltaic devices from optimized ACI perovskite films yield a power-conversion-efficiency of 7.26% with a high open-circuit voltage of ~1 V and a striking fill factor of ~80%.

Research Organization:
Energy Frontier Research Centers (EFRC) (United States). Center for Light Energy Activated Redox Processes (LEAP); Univ. of California, Santa Barbara, CA (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES) (SC-22). Materials Sciences & Engineering Division; National Science Foundation (NSF)
Grant/Contract Number:
SC0012541; SC0001059; AC52-06NA25396; AC02-06CH11357; ECCS-1542205; DMR-1121262
OSTI ID:
1599738
Journal Information:
Journal of the American Chemical Society, Vol. 139, Issue 45; ISSN 0002-7863
Publisher:
American Chemical Society (ACS)Copyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Citation Metrics:
Cited by: 306 works
Citation information provided by
Web of Science

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Two‐Dimensional Halide Perovskites in Solar Cells: 2D or not 2D? journal March 2019
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Highly Efficient Guanidinium‐Based Quasi 2D Perovskite Solar Cells via a Two‐Step Post‐Treatment Process journal May 2019
Aromatic Alkylammonium Spacer Cations for Efficient Two-Dimensional Perovskite Solar Cells with Enhanced Moisture and Thermal Stability journal February 2018
Present Status and Research Prospects of Tin‐based Perovskite Solar Cells journal August 2019
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Unveiling the Importance of Precursor Preparation for Highly Efficient and Stable Phenethylammonium‐Based Perovskite Solar Cells journal April 2020
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Band-edge Exciton Fine Structure and Exciton Recombination Dynamics in Single crystals of Layered Hybrid Perovskites preprint January 2019
Incorporating Large A Cations into Lead Iodide Perovskite Cages: Relaxed Goldschmidt Tolerance Factor and Impact on Exciton–Phonon Interaction journal July 2019
Guanidinium-Formamidinium Lead Iodide: A Layered Perovskite-Related Compound with Red Luminescence at Room Temperature journal February 2018
Two-Dimensional Dion–Jacobson Hybrid Lead Iodide Perovskites with Aromatic Diammonium Cations journal July 2019
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