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Nanosilver‐Decorated TiO 2 Nanofibers Coated with a SiO 2 Layer for Enhanced Light Scattering and Localized Surface Plasmons in Dye‐Sensitized Solar Cells
Author(s) -
Hwang Sun Hye,
Roh Jongmin,
Jang Jyongsik
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
chemistry – a european journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.687
H-Index - 242
eISSN - 1521-3765
pISSN - 0947-6539
DOI - 10.1002/chem.201301518
Subject(s) - materials science , nanofiber , dye sensitized solar cell , absorption (acoustics) , nanoparticle , photocatalysis , chemical engineering , layer (electronics) , visible spectrum , surface plasmon resonance , nanotechnology , plasmon , light scattering , surface plasmon , optoelectronics , scattering , electrode , composite material , optics , catalysis , chemistry , organic chemistry , physics , engineering , electrolyte
Abstract Enhanced harvesting of visible light is vital to the development of highly efficient dye‐sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). Nanosilver‐decorated TiO 2 nanofibers (Ag@TiO 2 NFs) were synthesized by depositing chemically reduced Ag ions onto the surface of electrospun TiO 2 nanofibers (TiO 2 NFs). The prepared Ag@TiO 2 NFs were coated with SiO 2 (SiO 2 @Ag@TiO 2 NFs) by using PVP as coupling agent for protecting corrosion of Ag nanoparticle by I − / ${{\rm I}{{- \hfill \atop 3\hfill}}}$ solution. The fabricated SiO 2 @Ag@TiO 2 NFs demonstrated a synergistic effect of light scattering and surface plasmons, leading to an enhanced light absorption. Moreover, an anode consisting of SiO 2 @Ag@TiO 2 NFs incorporating TiO 2 nanoparticles (NPs) increased light harvesting without substantially sacrificing dye attachment. The power conversion efficiency increased from 6.8 to 8.7 % for a thick film (10 μm), that is, 28 %. These results suggest that SiO 2 @Ag@TiO 2 NFs are promising materials for enhanced light absorption in dye‐sensitized solar cells.