Plasmonic effect of silver nanoparticles intercalated into mesoporous betalain-sensitized-TiO2 film electrodes on photovoltaic performance of dye-sensitized solar cells

Kasim U. Isah,Mohammed Isah Kimpa,Bukola J. Jolayemi,Noble Alu,Umaru Ahmadu

doi:10.1007/s40243-016-0075-z

Abstract

Dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) comprising mesoporous TiO2 films and betalain pigments extracted from red Bougainvillea glabra flower as natural dye sensitizers were fabricated and enhanced by the intercalation of the plasmonic silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) into the pores of mesoporous TiO2 electrodes by successive ionic layer adsorption and reaction (SILAR) method. The TiO2/Ag NPs composite films were characterized by SEM and UV–Vis spectroscopy. I–V characteristics of the devices were measured by solar simulator (AM1.5 at 100 mW/cm2). The incorporation of the Ag nanoparticles into the pores of mesoporous TiO2 electrodes with one SILAR deposition cycle of the Ag NPs produced the best plasmonic enhanced-DSSC giving a short-circuit current density (J sc), fill factor (FF), and power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 1.01 mA cm−2, 0.77, and 0.27 %, respectively. This development amounts to 50 % efficiency enhancement over the reference DSSC that had a short-circuit current density (J sc), fill factor (FF), and power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 0.7 mA cm−2, 0.57, and 0.18 %, respectively.

Highlights

Dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) have remained one of the most promising choices for the realization of low-cost solar cells; it has, in the recent years, attracted remarkable attention owing to simplicity of its fabrication process and low manufacturing cost with excellent light absorbing materials [1,2,3]
Dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) comprising mesoporous TiO2 films and betalain pigments extracted from red Bougainvillea glabra flower as natural dye sensitizers were fabricated and enhanced by the intercalation of the plasmonic silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) into the pores of mesoporous TiO2 electrodes by successive ionic layer adsorption and reaction (SILAR) method
The morphology of the films appears to be different, which can be attributed to the varied SILAR deposition cycles of the Ag nanoparticles (Ag NPs)

Summary

Introduction

Dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) have remained one of the most promising choices for the realization of low-cost solar cells; it has, in the recent years, attracted remarkable attention owing to simplicity of its fabrication process and low manufacturing cost with excellent light absorbing materials [1,2,3]. To intercalate the Ag NPs into the mesoscopic TiO2 electrodes, diammine stihlveerprceopmarpeldexeleÂcAtrgoðdNeHw3Þa2sÃþðiamqÞmesrosleudtioinn the for 2 min (adsorption), rinsed with distilled water for 1 min (to remove excess adsorbed ions from the diffusion layer), the electrode was transferred to the stannous chloride solution for 2 min (reduction reaction), and film turns brownish due to the reduction from Ag? The dye impregnated photoanodes were rinsed with ethanol (99 %, Sigma-Aldrich), to remove excess dye particles that were not properly adsorbed

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Results and discussions

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Conclusion

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