title: Improving the efficiency of cadmium sulfide-sensitized titanium dioxide/indium tin oxide glass photoelectrodes using silver sulfide as an energy barrier layer and a light absorber.
abstract: Cadmium sulfide (CdS) and silver sulfide (Ag2S) nanocrystals are deposited on the titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanocrystalline film on indium tin oxide (ITO) substrate to prepare CdS/Ag2S/TiO2/ITO photoelectrodes through a new method known as the molecular precursor decomposition method. The Ag2S is interposed between the TiO2 nanocrystal film and CdS nanocrystals as an energy barrier layer and a light absorber. As a consequence, the energy conversion efficiency of the CdS/Ag2S/TiO2/ITO electrodes is significantly improved. Under AM 1.5 G sunlight irradiation, the maximum efficiency achieved for the CdS(4)/Ag2S/TiO2/ITO electrode is 3.46%, corresponding to an increase of about 150% as compared to the CdS(4)/TiO2/ITO electrode without the Ag2S layer. Our experimental results show that the improved efficiency is mainly due to the formation of Ag2S layer that may increase the light absorbance and reduce the recombination of photogenerated electrons with redox ions from the electrolyte.
authors.affiliation: Henan Key Laboratory of Photovoltaic Materials, Henan University, Kaifeng 475004, People's Republic of China ; School of Physics and Electronics, Henan University, Kaifeng 475004, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Chong
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Henan Key Laboratory of Photovoltaic Materials, Henan University, Kaifeng 475004, People's Republic of China ; School of Physics and Electronics, Henan University, Kaifeng 475004, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Yong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhai
authors.affiliation: Henan Key Laboratory of Photovoltaic Materials, Henan University, Kaifeng 475004, People's Republic of China ; School of Physics and Electronics, Henan University, Kaifeng 475004, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Chunxi
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Henan Key Laboratory of Photovoltaic Materials, Henan University, Kaifeng 475004, People's Republic of China ; School of Physics and Electronics, Henan University, Kaifeng 475004, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Fumin
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Li
keywords: Efficiency; Photoelectrodes; Recombination; Silver sulfide nanocrystals; Titanium dioxide