title: Photocurrent enhancement by surface plasmon resonance of silver nanoparticles in highly porous dye-sensitized solar cells.
abstract: Localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) by silver nanoparticles that are photochemically incorporated into an electrode-supported TiO(2) nanoparticulate framework enhances the extinction of a subsequently adsorbed dye (the ruthenium-containing molecule, N719). The enhancement arises from both an increase in the dye's effective absorption cross section and a modest increase in the framework surface area. Deployment of the silver-modified assembly as a photoanode in dye-sensitized solar cells leads to light-to-electrical energy conversion with an overall efficiency of 8.9%. This represents a 25% improvement over the performance of otherwise identical solar cells lacking corrosion-protected silver nanoparticles. As one would expect based on increased dye loading and electromagnetic field enhanced (LSPR-enhanced) absorption, the improvement is manifested chiefly as an increase in photocurrent density ascribable to improved light harvesting.
authors: Department of Chemistry and Argonne-Northwestern Solar Energy Research Center (ANSER), Northwestern University, 2145 Sheridan Road, Evanston, Illinois 60208, USA.
authors: Nak Cheon
authors: NC
authors: Jeong
authors: Chaiya
authors: C
authors: Prasittichai
authors: Joseph T
authors: JT
authors: Hupp
mesh_terms: D004396:Coloring Agents / Q000737:chemistry*; D053768:Metal Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry*; D009942:Organometallic Compounds / Q000737:chemistry*; D055668:Photochemical Processes; D016062:Porosity; D012834:Silver / Q000737:chemistry*; D012993:Solar Energy; D020349:Surface Plasmon Resonance; D013499:Surface Properties; D013861:Thiocyanates / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D004396:Coloring Agents; D009942:Organometallic Compounds; D013861:Thiocyanates; C506095:bis(2,2'-bipyridyl-4,4'-dicarboxylate)ruthenium(II) bis(tetrabutylammonium) bis(thiocyanate); D012834:Silver