The perovskite sensitizer (CH
3NH
3)PbI
3 was prepared according to the reported procedure17 (
link). A hydroiodic acid (30 mL, 0.227 mol, 57 wt.% in water, Aldrich) and methylamine (27.8 mL, 0.273 mol, 40% in methanol, TCI) were stirred in the ice bath for 2 h. After stirring at 0
oC for 2 h, the resulting solution was evaporated at 50
oC for 1 h and produced synthesized chemicals (CH
3NH
3I). The precipitate was washed three times with diethyl ether and dried under vacuum and used without further purification. To prepare (CH
3NH
3)PbI
3, readily synthesized CH
3NH
3I (0.395 g) and PbI
2 (1.157 g, 99% Aldrich) were mixed in γ-butyrolactone (2 mL, >99% Aldrich) at 60
oC for overnight with stirring. Anatase TiO
2 nanoparticles were synthesized by acetic acid catalyzed hydrolysis of titanium isopropoxide (97%, Aldrich), followed by autoclaving at 230
oC for 12 h. Aqueous solvent in the autoclaved TiO
2 colloid solution was replaced by ethanol for preparation of non-aqueous TiO
2 paste. Ethyl cellulose (Aldrich), lauric acid (Fluka), and terpineol (Aldrich) were added into the ethanol solution of the TiO
2 particles, and then ethanol was removed from the solution using a rotary evaporator to obtain viscous pastes. For homogeneous mixing, the paste was further treated with a three-roll mill. The nominal composition of TiO
2/terpineol/ethylcellulose/lauric acid was 1/6/0.3/0.1.
Kim H.S., Lee C.R., Im J.H., Lee K.B., Moehl T., Marchioro A., Moon S.J., Humphry-Baker R., Yum J.H., Moser J.E., Grätzel M, & Park N.G. (2012). Lead Iodide Perovskite Sensitized All-Solid-State Submicron Thin Film Mesoscopic Solar Cell with Efficiency Exceeding 9%. Scientific Reports, 2, 591.