Abstract
State-of-the-art cesium-containing multiple-cation perovskites are generally synthesized from stock solutions of perovskite precursors and CsI in DMSO and DMF. However, compositional diversity of multi-component perovskites is significantly hampered due to the poor solubility of other cesium halides in these solvents. Here, we show how insoluble CsCl, as a new source of cesium cation, can be integrated into a multiple-cation perovskite material by a one-step method involving grinding of the precursors. The resulting polycrystalline powder is fully soluble in a DMSO/DMF mixture and allows formation of perovskite thin films. 133Cs solid-state MAS NMR data indicate that the cesium cation is almost fully (90%) incorporated into the 3D perovskite lattice, while the remaining 10% forms a cesium-rich mixed-halide secondary phase. The planar heterojunction device fabricated using this original mechanoperovskite yielded a power conversion efficiency of 19.12% and an open circuit voltage of 1.16 V. Moreover, we show that the introduction of CsCl improves both interfacial and bulk photovoltaic metrics. Our one-step approach provides an efficient general method for incorporating poorly soluble salts into multi-component perovskite crystal lattices.
The insoluble CsCl, as a new source of cesium cation, is shown to integrate into a multiple-cation perovskite material by a one-step method involving grinding of the precursors. The resulting polycrystalline powder is fully soluble in a DMSO/DMF mixture and allows formation of perovskite thin films and consequently planar based solar cells. [Display omitted]
•Mechanochemistry was employed to integrate poorly soluble alkali metal salt into multiple-cation perovskite lattice.•133Cs solid-state MAS NMR was used to probe microscopic composition of Cs-containing lead halide perovskites.•The planar heterojunction device yielded a power conversion efficiency of 19.12% and an open circuit voltage of 1.16 V.