Amount Of Ag Nanoparticles Research Articles

Ag-modified enhance the performances of ZnO@CFs based omnidirectional photoelectrochemical ultraviolet detectors

There are several prospective applications for omnidirectional ultraviolet (UV) detectors and underwater detection detectors in optical systems and optical fields. In this work, ZnO nanorods arrays were grown on carbon fibers (CFs). An appropriate amount of Ag nanoparticles (NPs) was deposited on the surface of ZnO nanorods by photochemical deposition. This improved the performance of photoelectrochemical (PEC) based UV detectors. Under 365 nm and 10 mW cm−2 UV irradiation, the photocurrent density of the 30s-Ag/ZnO@CFs based PEC UV detector can reach 1.28 mA cm−2, which is about 7 times that of the ZnO@CFs based PEC UV detector, and the rising time is shortened from 0.17 to 0.10 s. The reason is that increased absorption of ultraviolet light induced by the localized surface plasmon resonance. In addition, the detector exhibits a good flexibility and remains flexible after hundreds of bends and twists. Moreover, the detector is responsive in the range of rotation angle from 0° to 360°. It provides an insight to improve the photoelectric performance and underwater omnidirectional detection ability of the PEC UV detector.

Preparation of modified wood-based metal nanoparticles synthesized in situ and efficient removal of organic pollutants from wastewater

Wood has excellent properties such as biodegradability, high reactivity and rich channel skeleton structure. However, the defects such as hole blockage and limited specific surface area limit the application of wood-based materials in wastewater treatment. Therefore, in this research, wood substrates (DTWS) were treated using a deep eutectic solvent method, which was able to remove both lignin and hemicellulose from wood. Wood-based carriers with high specific surface area and high chemical activity were formed. The DTWS-Ag material was formed by growing Ag nanoparticles (NPs) in wood channels by hydrothermal method. The results showed that with the increase of lignin and hemicellulose removal, the degradation performance of DTWS-Ag material showed a volcanic trend due to the interaction between Ag and the inner wall of the pipe. The pore size and the amount of Ag NPs are very important to the degradation rate of dye molecules. DTWS-4-Ag composite material makes wood pore diameter and Ag NPs production reach a high balance, so that it has the highest degree of reduction. DTWS-4-Ag showed high catalytic degradation efficiency and stability for methylene blue degradation, with the degradation efficiency up to 98.3 %. This low-cost, renewable wood-based filter has high dye degradation efficiency and can be widely used in practical wastewater treatment.

One and two-step electrodeposition of composite films of calcium-deficient hydroxyapatite matrix with nanoscale Ag- and Zn-based particles

A fundamental study regarding the electrochemical synthesis of composite coatings with application in the orthopaedic field has been conducted. In particular, the electrodeposition of calcium phosphate coatings with Ag nanoparticles (AgNPs) from either a single electrolyte (one-step, 1S) or two electrolytes (two-step, 2S) on a β-Ti alloy (Ti-18Mo-6Nb-4Ta in wt%) was investigated. Pulse current deposition was implemented to produce the composite coatings by the 1S approach from a simple solution containing 42 mM Ca(NO3)2·4H2O, 25 mM NH4H2PO4, and 0.5 mM AgNO3 at 65°C. Meanwhile, the calcium phosphate matrix was also deposited by pulse current, and Ag was afterwards grown by direct current from 0.1 M KNO3 + x mM AgNO3 (x = 5, 10) at 25 °C (2S approach). The Ca/P ratio of the matrix was compatible with the formation of calcium-deficient hydroxyapatite (CDHA). The resulting Ag content in the composites could be varied between 4 and 13 wt% as a function of the working conditions. The 2S-derived coatings produced by electroplating Ag at j = –20.8 mA/cm2 from 0.1 M KNO3 + 10 mM AgNO3 furnished an optimal dispersion of the AgNPs on top of the CDHA matrix, while aggregation and/or dendritic growth was observed in other cases. Glow discharge optical emission spectrometry (GDOES) measurements indicated that a given amount of AgNPs becomes engulfed in the CDHA matrix during the 1S electrodeposition, whereas most of them decorate its outer surface in the 2S-derived coatings. The applicability of the two approaches was extended to the case of zinc oxide. ZnO-containing CDHA coatings in which the Zn element was homogeneously distributed across the film surface were obtained from 42 mM Ca(NO3)2·4H2O, 25 mM NH4H2PO4 and 1 mM Zn(NO3)2·6H2O at 65 °C (1S approach). On the contrary, ZnO-NPs could be clearly observed when deposition from 5 mM KNO3 + 5 mM Zn(NO3)2 was performed at 70 °C on top of previously grown CDHA (2S approach). The results indicated that the percentage and location of the antibacterial element (Ag, Zn) in the calcium phosphate matrix can be tuned on demand to a great extent by electrochemical means.

Synthesis of Moringa oleifera coated silver-containing nanocomposites of a new methacrylate polymer having pendant fluoroarylketone by hydrothermal technique and investigation of thermal, optical, dielectric and biological properties

Firstly, silver nanoparticles were synthesized by green synthesis method from Moringa oleifera extract. Nanocomposites containing newly synthesized methacrylate polymer, poly 2-(4-fluorophenyl)-2-oxoethyl-2-methylprop-2-enoate (PFPAMA) and Ag nanoparticles from M. oleifera in different mass ratios (1, 3, and 5 wt%) were synthesized using the hydrothermal method. The morphological and structural properties of the materials have been examined by SEM, FTIR, UV, TGA, and XRD techniques. The activation energies (Ea ) related to thermal decomposition of the nanocomposites were estimated by the Flynn–Wall–Ozawa and Kissinger–Akahira–Sunose methods by using non-isothermal TGA experiments. The thermal stability, glass transition temperature (Tg ), and the thermal decomposition activation energy (Ea ) values of nanocomposites were increased by increasing the Ag nanoparticles amount on the composite. The dielectric constant (ε′), the dielectric loss factor (ε″) and ac conductivity of neat PFPAMA and nanocomposites were also measured for the frequency range of 100 Hz to 2 kHz at 25 °C. It was seen that the frequency dependence of the dielectric constant and dielectric loss factor decreased with increasing frequency. The biological activities of nanocomposites against gram-positive (Staphylococcus aureus), gram-negative (Escherichia coli) bacteria and Candida krusei yeast were also tested. The antibacterial effect increased against both bacterial species as the amount of Ag nanoparticles from M. oleifera in the nanocomposites increased. In addition, the wound healing properties of nanocomposites were investigated by the scratch wound test.

Ibuprofen Photodegradation by Ag2O and Ag/Ag2O Composites Under Simulated Visible Light Irradiation

Ag2O was synthesized by the precipitation method and it was used as support to prepare Ag/Ag2O nanocomposites using different sodium citrate volumes to control the size and amount of Ag nanoparticles. Materials were characterized by X-ray powder diffraction, diffuse reflectance spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, scanning and transmission electron microscopy and nitrogen adsorption–desorption at − 196 °C analyses, respectively. Ibuprofen was selected as a probe molecule and materials were assessed as photocatalysts under simulated visible light irradiation. The SEM and TEM analysis revealed the presence of Ag nanoparticles over Ag2O support showing a size increase as citrate volume increased. By means of DRS analysis a band gap shift was observed, suggesting the formation of metallic silver during Ag impregnation while XPS results proved the co-existence of Ag0 and Ag2O composites. On the other hand, the photocatalysis results revealed the formation of intermediaries during ibuprofen photodegradation. Visible light absorption by Ag nanoparticles produced superoxide anion radicals (due to surface plasmon resonance) that enhanced the formation of intermediaries. The reaction mechanism proposed involves the generation of a Ag/Ag2O heterojunction where the metal acts as an electron scavenger decreasing the recombination of the e−–h+ pair.

Synthesis of MWCNT@Ag and application of it for investigation of the nanofluids viscosity variation based on the 2-level factorial design

ABSTRACTThe viscosity of nanofluids is affected by several factors such as temperature and weight fraction. In this study, we investigate for the first time the effect of them on the viscosity of nanofluids containing MWCNTs-Ag, with different amount of Ag nanoparticles (MWAg-1 and MWAg-2) using 2-level factorial design. The results of FTIR and XRD analysis confirm the presence of synthesized Ag nanoparticles on the surface of MWCNTs. TEM results reveal that Ag nanoparticles can successfully introduce on the surface of oxidized MWCNTs. The results of the analysis of variance (ANOVA) confirm that both models are significant for viscosity prediction of nanofluids. Meanwhile, the results reveal that the temperature (40 and 70) and weight fraction (0.125 and 0.5) have a significant effect on the viscosity of MWAg-1 nanofluids. In addition, the results confirmed that the importance of temperature is more than the concentration of MWAg-1. The contribution percent of temperature and weight fraction reveals that the contribution of weight fraction (44.08) is higher than that of temperature (37.71°C) at the proposed model. However, in the MWAg-2 nanofluids, only the temperature has a significant effect on the viscosity. The F-values of model in MWAg-1and MWAg-2 nanofluids are 20.21 and 15.70, respectively.

P3HT/Ag/TiO2 ternary photocatalyst with significantly enhanced activity under both visible light and ultraviolet irradiation

Abstract Multi-component photocatalysts can take advantage of each component and overcome their shortcomings at the same time by synergetic effect, providing a great promising future for high activity photocatalyst. In this work, P3HT/Ag/TiO2 ternary photocatalyst was constructed to further promote the separation of photogenerated carriers and enhance the photocatalytic activity as much as possible by introduction of Ag nanoparticles into the conjugated polymers/TiO2 heterojunction. The results showed that different amount of Ag nanoparticles were successfully photodeposited on the surface of TiO2 to form Ag/TiO2 composites, which were subsequently hybridized with P3HT, obtaining P3HT/Ag/TiO2 ternary photocatalytic system. The ternary photocatalyst exhibit remarkably enhanced photocatalytic activity for degradation of MO compared to the single- and two- component systems under both visible light and ultraviolet illumination by varying Ag content. This should be ascribed to the favored separation of photogenerated carriers resulted from the synergistic effect of P3HT, Ag and TiO2, as confirmed by the results of photocurrent tests. However, the influence of Ag content on photocatalytic activity under various light conditions was totally different. P3HT/Ag/TiO2-1, with a very small amount of Ag, showed the highest visible light photocatalytic activity, which was 2.1 and 9.7 times that of P3HT/TiO2 and TiO2 respectively and then the photocatalytic activity decreased with Ag loading amount. For the photocatalytic experiments performed under ultraviolet light, the activity continuously increased with the Ag content within our conditions, reaching the maximum for P3HT/Ag/TiO2-4, which was 4.5 and 1.8 times that of P3HT/TiO2 and Ag/TiO2-4 respectively. This might be resulted from the different role of Ag nanoparticles, probably electron sink under visible irradiation and Z-scheme bridge between P3HT and TiO2 under ultraviolet light.

Green synthesis of Ag nanoparticles: Effect of algae life cycle on Ag nanoparticle production and long-term stability

Abstract Spherical Ag nanoparticles (AgNPs) were biologically synthesized using four different extracts prepared from Parachlorella kessleri algae cultivated for 1, 2, 3 and 4 weeks. The influence of algae life cycle on AgNPs formation and effect of different storage conditions on AgNPs long-term stability were investigated. The age of algae influenced the rate of AgNPs synthesis and amount of AgNPs in solution. The age of algae did not influence the AgNPs long-term stability. UV–vis and TEM observation revealed that long-term stability of AgNPs can be influenced by storage temperatures, and low temperature positively influences the AgNPs stability. AgNPs stored at dark and at temperature of ∼5 °C showed the best long-term stability regardless of the culture age. Such AgNPs remained spherical, fine (5–20 nm) and stable (no agglomeration) even after 6 months.

THE FABRICATION OF Ag NANOPARTICLES LOADED TiO2 NANOTUBES BY PHOTOREDUCTION METHOD AND THEIR PHOTOCATALYTIC ACTIVITY

In this paper, we survey the effect of the photoreduction (illumination) time and the annealing temperature on the formation of Ag nanoparticles supported on TiO2 nanotubes (Ag/TNTs). The morphology, crystal structure and compositions were characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), respectively. The results showed that Ag nanoparticles are supported on TNTs and the amount of Ag nanoparticles could be controlled. The morphology of TNTs can be changed by the photoreduction time and the annealing temperature.

Cross-Flow Catalysis Behavior of a PVDF/SiO2@Ag Nanoparticles Composite Membrane

A blend of Polyvinylidene Fluoride (PVDF) and SiO2 microspheres in N,N-Dimethylformamide (DMF) underwent phase inversion to form a PVDF/SiO2 membrane with SiO2 microspheres in the membrane’s pores. Subsequently, the SiO2 microspheres have been used as platforms for in site Ag nanoparticles (NPs) synthesis, forming a composite membrane. Benefitting from the full exposure of Ag NPs to the reactants, the composite membrane shows high catalytic reactivity when catalyzing the reduction of p-nitrophenol under a cross-flow. The catalytic reaction follows the first-order kinetics, and the reaction rate increases with an increase in the amount of Ag NPs in the membrane, the reaction temperature, and the operating pressure. What is more, highly purified products can be produced and separated from the reactants in a timely manner by using the composite membrane.

Fast and eco-friendly fabrication of uniform Ag substrates for highly sensitive surface-enhanced Raman scattering

This study proposed a fast, simple, eco-friendly method for obtaining highly sensitive and uniform surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) of silver (Ag) nanotextured substrates decorated with silver nanoparticles in open air. By splitting conventional femtosecond pulses (subpulse delay Δt = 0 ps) into pulse trains (subpulse delay Δt = 3 ps), the mean diameter of Ag nanoparticles was reduced by almost half and the amount of Ag nanoparticles with a diameter ranging from 20 to 60 nm was increased by more than 11 times. The substrate fabricated by femtosecond pulse trains has four main merits as follows: (1) High sensitivity: the maximum SERS enhancement factor is 1.26 × 109; (2) High efficiency: the fabrication rate can be up to 1600 μm2/s, which is 20–40 times faster than femtosecond photochemical reduction; (3) Good reproducibility: the relative standard deviation of the Raman signal intensity is 10.7%, which is one-third of that for conventional femtosecond laser; (4) Eco-friendly fabrication: neither chemical reagents nor vacuum conditions are needed during the fabrication process.

Controlled Formation of Silver Nanoparticles on TiO₂ Nanotubes by Photoreduction Method.

In this paper, we surveyed the effect of the concentration of AgNO₃ solution and the time of photoreduction on the formation of Ag nanoparticles supported on TiO₂ nanotubes (Ag/TNTs) were synthesized by photoreduction method. Their morphology and crystal structure were determined by Transmission Electron Microscopy images (TEM), X-ray Diffraction (XRD) and Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) data. Results show that the amount of Ag nanoparticles supported on TNTs could be controlled by changing of the illumination time (photoreduction time) and the concentration of AgNO₃ solution. Besides, the annealing temperature has a direct influence on the morphology of TNTs. Especially, the nanotubes transformed into nanorods at 500 °C for 2 hours.

Enhancement of Dose Response and Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Image of PAGAT Polymer Gel Dosimeter by Adding Silver Nanoparticles.

In the present study, the normoxic polyacrylamide gelatin and tetrakis hydroxy methyl phosphoniun chloride (PAGAT) polymer gel dosimeters were synthesized with and without the presence of silver (Ag) nanoparticles. The amount of Ag nanoparticles varied from 1 to 3 ml with concentration 3.14 g/l, thus forming two types of PAGAT polymer gel dosimeters before irradiating them with 6 to 25 Gy produced by 1.25-MeV 60Co gamma rays. In this range, the predominant gamma ray interaction with matter is by Compton scattering effect, as the photoelectric absorption effect diminishes. MRI was employed when evaluating the polymerization of the dosimeters and the gray scale of the MRI film was determined via an optical densitometer. Subsequent analyses of optical densities revealed that the extent of polymerization increased with the increase in the absorbed dose, while the increase of penetration depth within the dosimeters has a reverse effect. Moreover, a significant increase in the optical density-dose response (11.82%) was noted for dosimeters containing 2 ml Ag nanoparticles.

Preparation of electrospun LA-PA/PET/Ag form-stable phase change composite fibers with improved thermal energy storage and retrieval rates via electrospinning and followed by UV irradiation photoreduction method

In this paper, novel electrospun LA-PA/PET/Ag phase change composite fibers with different amount of Ag nanoparticles were prepared via the technique of electrospinning followed by UV irradiation method. The morphological structure, thermal energy storage properties, thermal energy storage and release rates of prepared LA-PA/PET/AgNO3 and LA-PA/PET/Ag composite fibers were investigated by scanning electron microscope (SEM), high-resolution transmission electron microscope (HR-TEM), differential scanning calorimeter (DSC), and the measurement of melting and freezing times, respectively. The SEM images revealed that electrospun LA-PA/PET/AgNO3 and LA-PA/PET/Ag composite fibers possessed the smooth morphologies with cylindrical shape. The corresponding average fiber diameters gradually decreased with increasing content of the AgNO3 in the solutions, and slightly smaller than those of the LA-PA/PET composite fibers with oblate morphology and wrinkled surfaces. Yellow-brown coloration of electrospun LA-PA/PET/Ag phase change composite fibers were observed after UV irradiation treatment, which demonstrated that Ag ions were successfully reduced to Ag nanoparticles. The TEM images revealed that these reduced Ag nanoparticles were homogenously dispersed within the composite fibers. The results from DSC measurements indicated that the phase change temperatures and enthalpies of electrospun LA-PA/PET/Ag phase change composite fibers with different Ag content have not be influenced by the UVirradiation treatment. The thermal energy storage and release rates of electrospun LA-PA/PET/Ag phase change composite fibers were also improved due to the combination of reduced Ag nanoparticles. These UV-irradiated electrospun phase change composite fibers with excellent thermal energy storage properties can be acted as a novel form-stable PCMs for the applications related to storage and retrieval of thermal energy.

Ag loaded WO3 nanoplates for efficient photocatalytic degradation of sulfanilamide and their bactericidal effect under visible light irradiation

Sulfonamides (SAs) are extensively used antibiotics and their residues in the water bodies propose potential threat to the public. In this study, degradation efficiency of sulfanilamide (SAM), which is the precursor of SAs, using WO3 nanoplates and their Ag heterogeneous as photocatalysts was investigated. WO3 nanoplates with uniform size were synthesized by a facile one step hydrothermal method. Different amount of Ag nanoparticles (Ag NPs) were loaded onto WO3 nanoplates using a photo-reduction method to generate WO3/Ag composites. The physio-chemical properties of synthesized nanomaterials were systematically characterized. Photodegradation of SAM by WO3 and WO3/Ag composites was conducted under visible light irradiation. The results show that WO3/Ag composites performed much better than pure WO3 where the highest removal rate was 96.2% in 5h. Ag as excellent antibacterial agent also endows certain antibacterial efficiency to WO3, and 100% removal efficiency against Escherichia Coli and Bacillus subtilis could be achieved in 2h under visible light irradiation for all three WO3/Ag composites synthesized. The improved performance in terms of SAM degradation and antibacterial activity of WO3/Ag can be attributed to the improved electron-hole pair separation rate where Ag NPs act as effective electron trapper during the photocatalytic process.

Apoptosis inducing ability of silver decorated highly reduced graphene oxide nanocomposites in A549 lung cancer.

Recently, graphene and graphene-based materials have been increasingly used for various biological applications due to their extraordinary physicochemical properties. Here, we demonstrate the anticancer properties and apoptosis-inducing ability of silver doped highly reduced graphene oxide nanocomposites synthesized by employing green approach. These nano composites (PGE-HRG-Ag) were synthesized by using Pulicaria glutinosa extract (PGE) as a reducing agent and were evaluated for their anticancer properties against various human cancer cell lines with tamoxifen as the reference drug. A correlation between the amount of Ag nanoparticles on the surface of highly reduced graphene oxide (HRG) and the anticancer activity of nanocomposite was observed, wherein an increase in the concentration of Ag nanoparticles on the surface of HRG led to the enhanced anticancer activity of the nanocomposite. The nanocomposite PGE-HRG-Ag-2 exhibited more potent cytotoxicity than standard drug in A549 cells, a human lung cancer cell line. A detailed investigation was undertaken and Fluorescence activated cell sorting (FACS) analysis demonstrated that the nanocomposite PGE-HRG-Ag-2 showed G0/G1 phase cell cycle arrest and induced apoptosis in A549 cells. Studies such as, measurement of mitochondrial membrane potential, generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and Annexin V-FITC staining assay suggested that this compound induced apoptosis in human lung cancer cells.

Silver-Decorated TiO2 Nanorod Array Films with Enhanced Photoelectrochemical and Photocatalytic Properties

Highly ordered TiO2 nanorod (TNR) array films decorated with Ag nanoparticles (NPs) were synthesized on fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) by a hydrothermal treatment and a successive ionic layer adsorption reaction (SILAR) technique. The amount of Ag NPs on the TNR can be controlled by changing the number of cycles in silver nitrate (AgNO3) solution. The morphology, structure, composition, optical, photoelectrochemical and photocatalytic properties of the Ag/TNR films were investigated in detail. The Ag/TNR films exhibit larger redshift of the absorption edges and higher absorption intensities in the visible light range. Furthermore, the Ag/TNR films sensitized with 5 SILAR cycles show the best photocurrent density (32 μA/cm2) and photodegradation efficiency (95.52%), which is 5.7 and 1.3 times higher than that of pure TNR, respectively. The excellent properties can be ascribed to localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) effect of Ag NPs. The stability and reusability of the Ag/TNR films were also investigated. Therefore, the Ag/TNR films with high performance and stability can be used in potential applications.

Photoelectrochemical Properties of Ag/TiO2 Electrodes Constructed Using Vertically Oriented Two-Dimensional TiO2 Nanosheet Array Films

Vertically oriented two-dimensional TiO2 nanosheet (TNS) array films with dominant {001} facets decorated with Ag nanoparticles were synthesized on fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) by hydrothermal treatment and a successive ionic layer adsorption reaction (SILAR) technique. The amount of Ag nanoparticles on the TNS array surface can be controlled by changing the silver nitrate (AgNO3) solution concentration. The morphology, microstructure, optical, and photoelectrochemical properties of the Ag/TNS films were investigated in detail. The Ag/TNS films sensitized with five SILAR cycles showed the best photoelectrochemical properties and exhibited higher exciton separation efficiency. These excellent properties can be attributed to in situ growth of TNS with high energy {001} facets on FTO combined with surface plasmon resonance (SPR) of Ag nanoparticles.

Photocatalytic, Morphological and Structural Properties of the TiO₂-SiO₂-Ag Porous Structures Based System.

TiO2-SiO2-based nanocomposites with highly porous structures are gaining ever increasing attention due to their specific properties and large variability of synthesis pathways together with wide information on the impact of the synthesis on the activity of the catalyst. This thereby offers an alternative approach to traditional/commercially available photocatalysts. In our work TiO2-SiO2 based aerogels were obtained and modified with various amount of Ag nanoparticles, using different synthesis pathways. In the first instance their photocatalytic activity was examined in detail, by observing major differences toward salicylic acid and correlating them with their morphological and structural properties (investigating their mesoporous character, band-gap values, crystallinity grade etc.). Applying different techniques such as diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS), X-ray diffraction measurements (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Raman- and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) the nanoparticles and their composite morphological and structural details were successfully evaluated. Major differences were observed in the activity towards salicylic acid.

Multifunctional Ag-decorated porous TiO2 nanofibers in dye-sensitized solar cells: efficient light harvesting, light scattering, and electrolyte contact.

Designing the photoanode structure in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) is vital to realizing enhanced power conversion efficiency (PCE). Herein, novel multifunctional silver-decorated porous titanium dioxide nanofibers (Ag/pTiO2 NFs) made by simple electrospinning, etching, and chemical reduction processes are introduced. The Ag/pTiO2 NFs with a high surface area of 163 m(2) g(-1) provided sufficient dye adsorption for light harvesting. Moreover, the approximately 200 nm diameter and rough surface of the Ag/pTiO2 NFs offered enough light scattering, and the enlarged interpores among the NFs in the photoanode also permitted electrolyte circulation. Ag nanoparticles (NPs) were well dispersed on the surface of the TiO2 NFs, which prevented aggregation of the Ag NPs after calcination. Furthermore, a localized surface plasmon resonance effect by the Ag NPs served to increase the light absorption at visible wavelengths. The surface area and amount of Ag NPs was optimized. The PCE of pTiO2 NF-based DSSCs was 27 % higher (from 6.2 to 7.9 %) than for pure TiO2 NFs, whereas the PCE of Ag/pTiO2 NF-based DSSCs increased by about 12 % (from 7.9 to 8.8 %). Thus, the PCE of the multifunctional pTiO2 NFs was improved by 42 %, that is, from 6.2 to 8.8 %.