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Green synthesis of Au and Au@TiO2 core–shell structure formation by hydrothermal method for dye sensitized solar cell applications

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Abstract

We report the synthesis of Au nanoparticles and Au@TiO2 core–shell nanostructures using a facile green synthesis route and hydrothermal method respectively. Au@TiO2 core–shell particles were used instead of bare TiO2 photo-anode in conventional dye sensitized solar cells (DSSC) and the cell performance was evaluated. The core–shell structures were characterized for structural and optical properties. The average particle size, stability and polydispersity of the colloidal AuNPs were measured by dynamic light scattering method. Dye sensitized solar cells were fabricated using pure TiO2 and Au@TiO2 as photoanodes with N719 dye. The short circuit current density of Au@TiO2-DSSC was found to increase by 32.7% when compared to the pure TiO2-DSSC. Incident photon to current conversion efficiency studies also reveals that the Au@TiO2-DSSC exhibits better performance when compared to the pure TiO2-DSSC due to direct coupling between surface plasmon resonance effect of gold nanoparticles and N719 dye molecules.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to acknowledge Indian Nanoelectronics Users’ Programme (INUP), Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay, sponsored by Department of Electronics and Information Technology (DeitY), Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MCIT), Government of India. The authors are also like to thank Prof. Parag Bhargava, Mr. Sivasankar nemala and Mr. Venumadhav More, Department of Metallurgical Engineering and Materials Science, IIT-B, for the valuable support on the characterization, fabrication and testing part of the DSSCs.

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  1. MRDL, PG and Research Department of Physics, Pachaiyappa’s College, Chennai, 600 030, India

    T. Solaiyammal & P. Murugakoothan

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  1. T. Solaiyammal
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  2. P. Murugakoothan
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Correspondence to P. Murugakoothan.

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Solaiyammal, T., Murugakoothan, P. Green synthesis of Au and Au@TiO2 core–shell structure formation by hydrothermal method for dye sensitized solar cell applications. J Mater Sci: Mater Electron 29, 491–499 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10854-017-7938-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10854-017-7938-7

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