The use of ion-selective membranes to study cation transport in hybrid organic–inorganic perovskites

Abstract

Using a methylammonium selective membrane in conjunction with electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, we measured ion migration in methylammonium lead triiodide (MAPbI₃) with a millisecond (ms) time constant under illumination. These values were consistent with the reported values of ionic conduction in thin-film perovskite solar cells. We monitored an electrochemical impedance response arising from ionic conductivity through MAPbI₃ and a methylammonium selective layer. We could fit this complex impedance response to an intuitive circuit model, which revealed an ionic species moving on a ms time scale. Electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) revealed direct chemical evidence of methylammonium diffusion into the ion-selective layer. We found no experimental evidence indicating the mobility of lead ions or protons, suggesting that the mobile species observed under illumination is likely methylammonium.