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Title: Moisture-Induced Structural Degradation in Methylammonium Lead Iodide Perovskite Thin Films

Abstract

Methylammonium lead iodide (CH3NH3PbI3, MAPbI3) belongs to the group of organic–inorganic halide perovskites (OIHPs) that exhibit exceptional electrical and optical behavior suitable for photovoltaic applications. However, improving its structural and chemical stability and robustness remains a challenge for OIHPs to be considered a feasible active material in optoelectronic devices. This is due to the fact that this material is very susceptible to degrade under various intrinsic and extrinsic factors. Therefore, it is crucial to understand the mechanisms through which MAPbI3 undergoes chemical degradation under operating conditions such as a relatively humid environment. We present the structural characteristics of MAPbI3 under working conditions that suggest the routes of phase segregation as a result of exposing to highly moist media. We use dark pulse discharge behavior and current–voltage (I–V) variations of MAPbI3 under different moisture levels to investigate the nature of structural degradation in OIHPs. Here we show that while relatively lower levels of humidity (~60% RH) have a limited impact on the structural stability of MAPbI3, exposure to higher levels of moisture (~100% RH) results in the formation of PbI2 and aqueous CH3NH3I, which fundamentally change the charge transport characteristics in MAPbI3. Our findings explain the ongoing debate on the presencemore » of a threshold for the humidity that triggers irreversible structural transformation and leads to full degradation of MAPbI3.« less

Authors:
 [1]; ORCiD logo [1];  [1];  [2];  [1]; ORCiD logo [1]
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  1. Univ. of Connecticut, Storrs, CT (United States). Inst. of Materials Science
  2. Univ. of Connecticut, Storrs, CT (United States)
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Univ. of Connecticut, Storrs, CT (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES). Chemical Sciences, Geosciences & Biosciences Division; National Science Foundation (NSF)
OSTI Identifier:
1775542
Alternate Identifier(s):
OSTI ID: 1837951
Grant/Contract Number:  
FG02-86ER13622; 1803343
Resource Type:
Accepted Manuscript
Journal Name:
ACS Applied Energy Materials
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 3; Journal Issue: 9; Journal ID: ISSN 2574-0962
Publisher:
American Chemical Society (ACS)
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE; methylammonium lead triiodide; perovskite thin films; stability, humidity-induced; ion mobility; degradation pathways

Citation Formats

Toloueinia, Panteha, Khassaf, Hamidreza, Shirazi Amin, Alireza, Tobin, Zachary M., Alpay, S. Pamir, and Suib, Steven L. Moisture-Induced Structural Degradation in Methylammonium Lead Iodide Perovskite Thin Films. United States: N. p., 2020. Web. doi:10.1021/acsaem.0c00638.
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Toloueinia, Panteha, Khassaf, Hamidreza, Shirazi Amin, Alireza, Tobin, Zachary M., Alpay, S. Pamir, & Suib, Steven L. Moisture-Induced Structural Degradation in Methylammonium Lead Iodide Perovskite Thin Films. United States. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsaem.0c00638
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Toloueinia, Panteha, Khassaf, Hamidreza, Shirazi Amin, Alireza, Tobin, Zachary M., Alpay, S. Pamir, and Suib, Steven L. Wed . "Moisture-Induced Structural Degradation in Methylammonium Lead Iodide Perovskite Thin Films". United States. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsaem.0c00638. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1775542.
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@article{osti_1775542,
title = {Moisture-Induced Structural Degradation in Methylammonium Lead Iodide Perovskite Thin Films},
author = {Toloueinia, Panteha and Khassaf, Hamidreza and Shirazi Amin, Alireza and Tobin, Zachary M. and Alpay, S. Pamir and Suib, Steven L.},
abstractNote = {Methylammonium lead iodide (CH3NH3PbI3, MAPbI3) belongs to the group of organic–inorganic halide perovskites (OIHPs) that exhibit exceptional electrical and optical behavior suitable for photovoltaic applications. However, improving its structural and chemical stability and robustness remains a challenge for OIHPs to be considered a feasible active material in optoelectronic devices. This is due to the fact that this material is very susceptible to degrade under various intrinsic and extrinsic factors. Therefore, it is crucial to understand the mechanisms through which MAPbI3 undergoes chemical degradation under operating conditions such as a relatively humid environment. We present the structural characteristics of MAPbI3 under working conditions that suggest the routes of phase segregation as a result of exposing to highly moist media. We use dark pulse discharge behavior and current–voltage (I–V) variations of MAPbI3 under different moisture levels to investigate the nature of structural degradation in OIHPs. Here we show that while relatively lower levels of humidity (~60% RH) have a limited impact on the structural stability of MAPbI3, exposure to higher levels of moisture (~100% RH) results in the formation of PbI2 and aqueous CH3NH3I, which fundamentally change the charge transport characteristics in MAPbI3. Our findings explain the ongoing debate on the presence of a threshold for the humidity that triggers irreversible structural transformation and leads to full degradation of MAPbI3.},
doi = {10.1021/acsaem.0c00638},
journal = {ACS Applied Energy Materials},
number = 9,
volume = 3,
place = {United States},
year = {Wed Aug 19 00:00:00 EDT 2020},
month = {Wed Aug 19 00:00:00 EDT 2020}
}
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https://doi.org/10.1021/acsaem.0c00638
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