Plasmon Enhanced Photovoltaic Performance in TiO₂-Graphene Oxide Composite Based Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells

Abstract

Dye sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) have engendered great research interest with promising potentials in solar cell technology for their high power conversion efficiencies. In this study, we report a plasmon enhanced graphene oxide (GO)-based TiO2-GO-Au composite photo-anode toward the improved performance in our DSSCs. The structural and morphological properties of as synthesized GO and TiO2-GO-Au composites were investigated using Raman spectroscopy and ultra-high resolution transmission electron microscope (UHRTEM). Photovoltaic performances of DSSC containing TiO2-GO-Au composite photoanodes were studied on keeping the constant GO concentration (5 μL) and by varying the concentration of Au-nanoparticles (NP) [1, 3, 5 μL]. A systematic increment in the short circuit current density (JSC) was noticed while incorporating more Au NP to the photoanode probably due to the increased light absorption, higher optical path of absorbed light and faster electron transfer as a combined effect of GO and Au NP. Thus, a significant enhancement in the overall photovoltaic performance was observed in DSSCs with TiO2-GO-Au composite photoanode.