TY - JOUR
T1 - Exploring Nanoscale Structure in Perovskite Precursor Solutions Using Neutron and Light Scattering
AU - O'Kane, Mary
AU - Smith, Joel
AU - Kilbride, Rachel C.
AU - Spooner, Emma L.K.
AU - Duif, C.P.
AU - Catley, Thomas E.
AU - Washington, Adam
AU - King, Stephen M.
AU - Parnell, S.R.
AU - Parnell, Andrew J.
PY - 2022
Y1 - 2022
N2 - Tailoring the solution chemistry of metal halide perovskites requires a detailed understanding of precursor aggregation and coordination. In this work, we use various scattering techniques, including dynamic light scattering (DLS), small angle neutron scattering (SANS), and spin-echo SANS (SESANS) to probe the nanostructures from 1 nm to 10 μm within two different lead-halide perovskite solution inks (MAPbI
3and a triple-cation mixed-halide perovskite). We find that DLS can misrepresent the size distribution of the colloidal dispersion and use SANS/SESANS to confirm that these perovskite solutions are mostly comprised of 1-2 nm-sized particles. We further conclude that if there are larger colloids present, their concentration must be <0.005% of the total dispersion volume. With SANS, we apply a simple fitting model for two component microemulsions (Teubner-Strey), demonstrating this as a potential method to investigate the structure, chemical composition, and colloidal stability of perovskite solutions, and we here show that MAPbI
3solutions age more drastically than triple cation solutions.
AB - Tailoring the solution chemistry of metal halide perovskites requires a detailed understanding of precursor aggregation and coordination. In this work, we use various scattering techniques, including dynamic light scattering (DLS), small angle neutron scattering (SANS), and spin-echo SANS (SESANS) to probe the nanostructures from 1 nm to 10 μm within two different lead-halide perovskite solution inks (MAPbI
3and a triple-cation mixed-halide perovskite). We find that DLS can misrepresent the size distribution of the colloidal dispersion and use SANS/SESANS to confirm that these perovskite solutions are mostly comprised of 1-2 nm-sized particles. We further conclude that if there are larger colloids present, their concentration must be <0.005% of the total dispersion volume. With SANS, we apply a simple fitting model for two component microemulsions (Teubner-Strey), demonstrating this as a potential method to investigate the structure, chemical composition, and colloidal stability of perovskite solutions, and we here show that MAPbI
3solutions age more drastically than triple cation solutions.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85136198216&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1021/acs.chemmater.2c00905
DO - 10.1021/acs.chemmater.2c00905
M3 - Article
SN - 0897-4756
VL - 34
SP - 7232
EP - 7241
JO - Chemistry of Materials
JF - Chemistry of Materials
IS - 16
ER -