Highly Air-Stable Tin-Based Perovskite Solar Cells through Grain-Surface Protection by Gallic Acid

Abstract

Maintaining the stability of tin halide perovskites is a major challenge in developing lead-free perovskite solar cells (PSCs). Adding extra SnX2 (X = F, Cl, or Br) in the precursor solution to inhibit Sn2+ oxidation is an essential strategy to improve device efficiency and stability. However, SnX2 on the surface of perovskite grains tends to prohibit charge transfer across perovskite films. Here, we report a coadditive engineering approach by introducing antioxidant gallic acid (GA) together with SnCl2 to improve the performance of tin-based PSCs. The SnCl2–GA complex can not only protect the perovskite grains but also more effectively conduct electrons across it, leading to highly stable and efficient PSCs. The unencapsulated devices can maintain ∼80% of their initial efficiency after 1000 h of storage in ambient air with a relative humidity of 20%, which is the best air stability achieved in tin-based PSCs to date.