Gold Nanoparticles Decorated TiO2 Photoanode for Enhancing Light Absorbance of Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells

In this study, AuNPs were made by using sodium citrate method and diluted with DI water for absorption peaks of 1.0 a.u., 1.5 a.u., and 2.0 a.u., respectively. Next, dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) were fabricated by using doctor blade method and different concentrations of AuNPs solutions were decorated on TiO
₂
film by using deposition method for 2 hours. The morphologies of photoanode were measured by using scanning electron microscope (FESEM) and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX). The light adsorption and dye absorbance of photoanode were measured by using UV-Vis spectrophotometer. The experiment results showed that the Au nanoparticles decorated photoanode could enhance light absorption due to localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) effect. For the photoanode decorated for 2 hours by using AuNPs solution with the absorption of 1.5 a.u., the photoelectric conversion efficiency (PCE) of DSSCs were 3.76% that was higher than 3.11% of DSSCs with the pure TiO
₂
photoanotde.