Surface Plasmon Resonance and Increased Interfacial Electron Transfer of 3D AgNWS@TiO2NS Structure for Enhanced Photocatalytic and DSSC Properties

Ag nanowires coated with TiO2 nanosheets (AgNWS@TiO2NS, AWT) have been successfully synthesized via a one-pot hydrothermal synthesis. Importantly, the prepared AWT shows enhanced photocatalytic activity compared with Degussa P25, which is attributed to its continuous hierarchical structures, special conductive channel and localized surface plasmon resonance (SPR). Additionally, these prepared AWT were exploited as an electron conductor and scattering material in the TiO2 composite photoanodes of dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). The highest energy conversion efficiency of 6.98% was achieved when the AWT doping rate in the photoanode slurry was 5 wt%. Both enhanced Isc and Voc are attributed to the increased photo-absorption efficiency from the localized SPR. The potential enhanced light-scattering effect and faster photoelectric transmission efficiency of the AWT in the photoanode.

A Bi-layer Composite Film Based on TiO2 Hollow Spheres, P25, and Multi-walled Carbon Nanotubes for Efficient Photoanode of Dye-sensitized Solar Cell

ABSTRACT

A bi-layer photoanode for dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC) was fabricated, in which TiO2 hollow spheres (THSs) were designed as a scattering layer and P25/multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) as an under-layer. The THSs were synthesized by a sacrifice template method and showed good light scattering ability as an over-layer of the photoanode. MWNTs were mixed with P25 to form an under-layer of the photoanode to improve the electron transmission ability of the photoanode. The power conversion efficiency of this kind of DSSC with bi-layer was enhanced to 5.13 %, which is 14.25 % higher than that of pure P25 DSSC.

GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT

A bi-layer composite photoanode based on P25/MWNTs-THSs with improved light scattering and electron transmission, which will provide a new insight into fabrication and structure design of highly efficient dye-sensitized solar cells.

The Ag shell thickness effect of Au@Ag@SiO2 core–shell nanoparticles on the optoelectronic performance of dye sensitized solar cells

The LSPR effect of Au@Ag@SiO₂ core–shell–ultra-thin shell nanoparticles is finely tailored and tuned by varying the Ag shell thickness. The growth of silver shell onto Au NPs led to color changes from different tones of red to orange.

Panchromatic quasi-monolayer of Ag nanoparticles for high-efficiency dye-sensitized solar cells

We developed a panchromatic quasi-monolayer of Ag NPs and applied this technique to fabricate DSSCs.