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

Toloueinia, Panteha; Khassaf, Hamidreza; Shirazi Amin, Alireza; Tobin, Zachary M.; Alpay, S. Pamir; Suib, Steven L.

doi:10.1021/acsaem.0c00638

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

Journal Article · Wed Aug 19 00:00:00 EDT 2020 · ACS Applied Energy Materials

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1021/acsaem.0c00638· OSTI ID:1775542

Toloueinia, Panteha ^[1];

^[1]; Shirazi Amin, Alireza ^[1]; Tobin, Zachary M. ^[2]; Alpay, S. Pamir ^[1];

^[1]

Univ. of Connecticut, Storrs, CT (United States). Inst. of Materials Science
Univ. of Connecticut, Storrs, CT (United States)

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.

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Research Organization:: Univ. of Connecticut, Storrs, CT (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES). Chemical Sciences, Geosciences & Biosciences Division; National Science Foundation (NSF)

Grant/Contract Number:: FG02-86ER13622; 1803343

OSTI ID:: 1775542

Alternate ID(s):: OSTI ID: 1837951

Journal Information:: ACS Applied Energy Materials, Vol. 3, Issue 9; ISSN 2574-0962

Publisher:: American Chemical Society (ACS)Copyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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

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