Volume 60, Issue 52 pp. 27299-27306
Communication

Combined Precursor Engineering and Grain Anchoring Leading to MA-Free, Phase-Pure, and Stable α-Formamidinium Lead Iodide Perovskites for Efficient Solar Cells

Xufeng Ling

Xufeng Ling

Institute of Functional Nano & Soft Materials (FUNSOM), Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Carbon-Based Functional Materials and Devices, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, 215123 China

Laboratory of Photonics and Interfaces, Institute of Chemical Sciences and Engineering, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Station 6, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland

These authors contributed equally to this work.

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Hongwei Zhu

Hongwei Zhu

Laboratory of Photonics and Interfaces, Institute of Chemical Sciences and Engineering, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Station 6, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland

These authors contributed equally to this work.

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Weidong Xu

Weidong Xu

Department of Chemistry and Centre for Processable Electronics, Imperial College, London, SW7 2AZ UK

These authors contributed equally to this work.

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Cheng Liu

Cheng Liu

Institute of Functional Nano & Soft Materials (FUNSOM), Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Carbon-Based Functional Materials and Devices, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, 215123 China

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Dr. Linfeng Pan

Dr. Linfeng Pan

Laboratory of Photomolecular Science, Institute of Chemical Sciences and Engineering, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Station 6, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland

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Dr. Dan Ren

Dr. Dan Ren

Laboratory of Photonics and Interfaces, Institute of Chemical Sciences and Engineering, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Station 6, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland

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Prof. Jianyu Yuan

Corresponding Author

Prof. Jianyu Yuan

Institute of Functional Nano & Soft Materials (FUNSOM), Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Carbon-Based Functional Materials and Devices, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, 215123 China

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Dr. Bryon W. Larson

Dr. Bryon W. Larson

Chemistry & Nanoscience Center, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Golden, CO, 80401 USA

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Dr. Carole Grätzel

Dr. Carole Grätzel

Laboratory of Photonics and Interfaces, Institute of Chemical Sciences and Engineering, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Station 6, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland

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Ahmad R. Kirmani

Ahmad R. Kirmani

Chemistry & Nanoscience Center, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Golden, CO, 80401 USA

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Dr. Olivier Ouellette

Dr. Olivier Ouellette

Laboratory of Photonics and Interfaces, Institute of Chemical Sciences and Engineering, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Station 6, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland

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Dr. Anurag Krishna

Dr. Anurag Krishna

Laboratory of Photomolecular Science, Institute of Chemical Sciences and Engineering, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Station 6, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland

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Jianguo Sun

Jianguo Sun

Institute of Functional Nano & Soft Materials (FUNSOM), Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Carbon-Based Functional Materials and Devices, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, 215123 China

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Chunyang Zhang

Chunyang Zhang

Laboratory of Photonics and Interfaces, Institute of Chemical Sciences and Engineering, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Station 6, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland

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Prof. Youyong Li

Prof. Youyong Li

Institute of Functional Nano & Soft Materials (FUNSOM), Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Carbon-Based Functional Materials and Devices, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, 215123 China

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Dr. Shaik M. Zakeeruddin

Dr. Shaik M. Zakeeruddin

Laboratory of Photonics and Interfaces, Institute of Chemical Sciences and Engineering, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Station 6, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland

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Dr. Jing Gao

Dr. Jing Gao

Laboratory of Photonics and Interfaces, Institute of Chemical Sciences and Engineering, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Station 6, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland

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Dr. Yuhang Liu

Corresponding Author

Dr. Yuhang Liu

Laboratory of Photonics and Interfaces, Institute of Chemical Sciences and Engineering, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Station 6, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland

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Prof. James R. Durrant

Prof. James R. Durrant

Department of Chemistry and Centre for Processable Electronics, Imperial College, London, SW7 2AZ UK

SPECIFIC IKC, College of Engineering, Swansea University, Bay Campus, Fabian Way, Swansea, SA1 8EN UK

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Dr. Joseph M. Luther

Dr. Joseph M. Luther

Chemistry & Nanoscience Center, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Golden, CO, 80401 USA

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Prof. Wanli Ma

Corresponding Author

Prof. Wanli Ma

Institute of Functional Nano & Soft Materials (FUNSOM), Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Carbon-Based Functional Materials and Devices, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, 215123 China

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Prof. Michael Grätzel

Corresponding Author

Prof. Michael Grätzel

Laboratory of Photonics and Interfaces, Institute of Chemical Sciences and Engineering, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Station 6, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland

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First published: 29 October 2021
Citations: 65

Graphical Abstract

Formamidinium (FA)-based additives in precursor solutions suppressed the formation of the undesired δ phase during the crystallization of FAPbI3 perovskites, and heat-induced permeation of 4-tert-butylbenzylammonium iodide (tBBAI) into inner perovskite grains stabilized the α structure. Solar cells assembled from this material exhibited improved power conversion efficiency and stability.

Abstract

α-Formamidinium lead iodide (α-FAPbI3) is one of the most promising candidate materials for high-efficiency and thermally stable perovskite solar cells (PSCs) owing to its outstanding optoelectrical properties and high thermal stability. However, achieving a stable form of α-FAPbI3 where both the composition and the phase are pure is very challenging. Herein, we report on a combined strategy of precursor engineering and grain anchoring to successfully prepare methylammonium (MA)-free and phase-pure stable α-FAPbI3 films. The incorporation of volatile FA-based additives in the precursor solutions completely suppresses the formation of non-perovskite δ-FAPbI3 during film crystallization. Grains of the desired α-phase are anchored together and stabilized when 4-tert-butylbenzylammonium iodide is permeated into the α-FAPbI3 film interior via grain boundaries. This cooperative scheme leads to a significantly increased efficiency close to 21 % for FAPbI3 perovskite solar cells. Moreover, the stabilized PSCs exhibit improved thermal stability and maintained ≈90 % of their initial efficiency after storage at 50 °C for over 1600 hours.

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