Stability and optical enhancement of perovskite materials by nanocomposite PMMA sandwich structure in an open air environment

Abstract

In this work, an investigation of a sandwich nanostructure to increase the lifetime of perovskite materials was performed. The used perovskite composite is a mixed organic–inorganic FAXMA1−XPbI3 film prepared by using a one-step solution deposition method in an ambient condition. The ratios of FA and MA were controlled as their cation size affects the structural and optical properties of the perovskite films. Three of formamidinium cation (FA+) fractions (x) are chosen as x = 0.2, 0.5, and 0.8 to study their structural and optical properties. The study revealed enhancement on both the structural and optical stabilities of perovskite films stored in ambient conditions by introducing single- and double-sided PMMA polymer sandwich structure. The sandwich structure is acting as a hydrophobic layer to protect the perovskite films from moisture and oxygen, with its ability to fill the pinholes in the perovskite film itself. UV–Vis spectroscopy, XRD, SEM, and contact angle measurements revealed that coated perovskite films show large enhancement in the perovskite structural stability for over 2040 h with increasing optical absorption to about 100%.