Perovskite Hollow Fibers with Precisely Controlled Cation Stoichiometry via One-Step Thermal Processing

One hot step for man-made perovskites

27 October 2017

An eco-friendly one-step method could make hollow perovskite fibres a more affordable and efficient material for electronics and air purification.

Perovskites are an attractive class of materials for electrical catalysts and gas separation as they conduct both ions and electrons. However, making perovskite hollow fibres requires several energy intensive stages, temperatures reaching 1130 degrees Celsius, and perovskite powders, the fabrication of which releases toxic gases.

A Nanjing Tech University team developed a one-step thermal process that eliminates perovskite powder. They heated a mixture of Earth-abundant raw chemicals (barium, strontium, copper and iron) to burn off unwanted organic molecules and arrange the remaining atoms in a perovskite structure. Raising the temperature to 1050 degrees Celsius solidified — or ‘sintered’ — the structure faster than previous techniques. The team used their material to filter oxygen and found the permeation rate exceeded commercial targets by 25%.

This fast and energy efficient method could make it possible to build environmentally friendly perovskites for industrial uses.

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References

1. Advanced Materials 29, 1606377 (2017). doi: 10.1002/adma.201606377