Effects of A-Site Cation Structure on the Stability of 2D Tin Halide Perovskites

Two-dimensional halide perovskites (2D-HPs) are of significant interest for their applications in optoelectronic devices. Part of this increased interest in 2D-HPs stems from their increased stability relative to their three-dimensional (3D) counterparts. Here, the origin of higher stability in 2D-HPs is mainly attributed to the bulky ammonium cation layers, which can act as a blocking layer against moisture and oxygen ingression and ion diffusion. While 2D-HPs have demonstrated increased stability, it is not clear how the structure of the ammonium ions impacts material stability. Herein, we investigate how the structure of ammonium cations, including three n-alkyl ammoniums, phenethylammonium (PEA) and five PEA derivatives, anilinium (An), benzylammonium (BzA), and cyclohexylmethylammonium (CHMA), affects the crystal structure and air, water, and oxygen stability of 2D tin halide perovskites (2D-SnHPs). We find that stability is influenced by several factors, including the molecular packing and intermolecular interactions in the organic layer, steric effects around the ammonium group, the orientation distribution of the 2D sheets, and the hydrophobicity of the perovskite film surface. With superior hydrophobicity, strong interactions between organic molecules, and a high extent of parallel oriented inorganic sheets, the 2-(4-trifluoromethyl-phenyl)-ethylammonium (4-TFMPEA) ion forms the most stable 2D-SnHP among the 12 ammonium cations investigated.