Controlling Tin Halide Perovskite Oxidation Dynamics in Solution for Perovskite Optoelectronic Devices

Angew Chem Int Ed Engl. 2024 May 14:e202407193. doi: 10.1002/anie.202407193. Online ahead of print.

Abstract

As a leading contender to replace lead halide perovskites, tin-based perovskites have demonstrated ever increasing performance in solar cells and light-emitting diodes (LEDs). They tend to be processed with dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) solvent, which has been identified as a major contributor to the Sn(II) oxidation during film fabrication, posing a challenge to the further improvement of Sn-based perovskites. Herein, we use NMR spectroscopy to investigate the kinetics of the oxidation of SnI2, revealing that autoamplification takes place, accelerating the oxidation as the reaction progresses. We propose a mechanism consistent with these observations involving water participation and HI generation. Building upon these insights, we have developed low-temperature Sn-based perovskite LEDs (PeLEDs) processed at 60 °C, achieving enhanced external quantum efficiencies (EQEs). Our research underscores the substantial potential of low-temperature DMSO solvent processes and DMSO-free solvent systems for fabricating oxidation-free Sn-based perovskites, shaping the future direction in processing Sn-containing perovskite materials and optoelectronic devices.

Keywords: DMSO; NMR; Sn(II) oxidation; lead-free perovskite; low-temperature processing.