Dye Sensitized Solar Cells with Silver Nanoparticles in Nanocomposite Photoanode for Exploring Solar Energy Concept

Jamila Tasiu; Eli Danladi; Mary T. Ekwu; Lucky Endas

doi:10.20221/jnmsr.v1i.1

Authors

Jamila Tasiu Department of Physics, Kaduna State University, Kaduna, Nigeria
Eli Danladi* Department of Physics, Federal University of Health Sciences, Otukpo, Benue State, Nigeria
Mary T. Ekwu Department of Physics, Airforce Institute of Technology, Kaduna, Nigeria
Lucky Endas Department of Chemical Sciences, Greenfield University, Kaduna, Nigeria

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.20221/jnmsr.v1i.1

Keywords:

DSSCs, Surface plasmon, Nanoparticles, Natural pigment

Abstract

Surface plasmon resonance is the effect of electron oscillation in a structure stimulated by incident light. When noble materials such as Ag, Au or Cu are added into the titania (compact or mesoporous) structure of the dye sensitized solar cell (DSSCs), the plasmonic effect of such materials will result to an improved performance of the device. Placing Silver Nanoparticles (AgNPs) at different position will produce a variety of result. In this work the systematic formation of plasmonic dye sensitized solar cells by integrating Ag nanoparticles in two distinct configurations; on the Compact Titanium dioxide (c-TiO2) and on Mesoporous Titanium dioxide (m-TiO2) were reported. The Power Conversion Efficiency (PCE), Current density (Jsc) and Open circuit voltage (Voc) of the reference device shows a value of 0.36 %, 1.89 mAcm-2 and 0.45 V. Upon introduction of AgNPs on the c-TiO2, a PCE of 0.64 %, Jsc of 2.53 mAcm-2 and Voc of 0.46 V were recorded, which improved the PCE ~ 63.90 % over that of the pristine device. When AgNPs was introduced on the m-TiO2, a PCE of 0.71 %, Jsc of 2.83 mAcm-2 and Voc of 0.46 V were obtained which results to increase in power conversion efficiency from 0.36 % to 0.71 %, demonstrating ~1.97 times enhancement, compared with the reference device without the metal NPs. The improvement is attributed to an increase in photocurrent density due to enhanced light harvesting by silver nanoparticles.

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