title: Fabrication of Au@Ag core/shell nanoparticles decorated TiO2 hollow structure for efficient light-harvesting in dye-sensitized solar cells.
abstract: Improving the light-harvesting properties of photoanodes is promising way to enhance the power conversion efficiency (PCE) of dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). We synthesized Au@Ag core/shell nanoparticles decorated TiO2 hollow nanoparticles (Au@Ag/TiO2 HNPs) via sol-gel reaction and chemical deposition. The Au@Ag/TiO2 HNPs exhibited multifunctions from Au@Ag core/shell NPs (Au@Ag CSNPs) and TiO2 hollow nanoparticles (TiO2 HNPs). These Au@Ag CSNPs exhibited strong and broadened localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR), together with a large specific surface area of 129 m(2) g(-1), light scattering effect, and facile oxidation-reduction reaction of electrolyte from TiO2 HNPs, which resulted in enhancement of the light harvesting. The optimum PCE of η = 9.7% was achieved for the DSSCs using photoanode materials based on TiO2 HNPs containing Au@Ag/TiO2 HNPs (0.2 wt % Au@Ag CSNPs with respect to TiO2 HNPs), which outperformed by 24% enhancement that of conventional photoanodes formed using P25 (η = 7.8%).
authors.affiliation: School of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Seoul National University , 599 Gwanangno, Gwanakgu,, Seoul 151-742, Korea.
authors.forename: Juyoung
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yun
authors.forename: Sun Hye
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Hwang
authors.forename: Jyongsik
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jang
keywords: TiO2; dye-sensitized solar cells; hollow nanoparticles; localized surface plasmon resonance; metal core/shell nanoparticles