Microstructural Study of Two-Dimensional Organic-Inorganic Hybrid Perovskite Nanosheet Degradation under Illumination

Two-dimensional (2D) organic-inorganic hybrid perovskite materials have received substantial attention because of their exceptional optoelectronic properties. Although the applications of 2D perovskite nanosheets are promising in various optoelectronic devices, which all face harsh working conditions of light exposure, little is known about the photo-stability and degradation mechanisms of these 2D perovskite nanosheets. In this work, degradation of (C₄H₉NH₃)₂PbBr₄ (BA₂PbBr₄) nanosheets when exposed to ultraviolet (UV) light and white light is explored. The morphology, optical properties, and microstructure of the nanosheets, under different conditions of light exposure, was studied in detail. UV light is more destructive compared to white light, which both led to a nanosheet breakdown. A combination of transmission electron microscopy (TEM) imaging and electron diffraction revealed that the organic moieties are most sensitive to light exposure and partial disorder toward complete disorder takes place during light exposure. Moreover, excessive light exposure further causes a [PbBr₆]^4- octahedron tilt and re-ordering within the perovskite structure. This study could enrich the understanding of 2D perovskite nanosheets and their photostability, offer a new perspective in interpreting the light-perovskite interaction, and further help the design of robust and light-tunable 2D perovskite-based optoelectronic devices.