Efficiency enhancement in dye-sensitized solar cells using silver nanoparticles and TiCl 4.

This paper reports the efficiency enhancement in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) by incorporation of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) in Titanium dioxide (TiO2) and using it as anode. Further enhancement in DSSC parameters was observed after TiCl4treatment on TiO2Ag anode. It was observed that the short circuit current densityJscwas increased from 6.95 to 12.58 mA/cm2by TiCl4treatment with no change inVocand fill factor increasing the efficiency from 3.29 to 5.61%. The fabricated DSSCs using TiO2AgNPs anode with both pre and post TiCl4treatment appear to have the maximum efficiency as compared to other cells. Due to effective electron transport and enhanced absorption of dye on TiO2AgNPs anode surface, the maximum conversion efficiency of 7.3% was achieved. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]