Self-ordering anodized nanotubes: Enhancing the performance by surface plasmon for dye-sensitized solar cell

In the present work, electrochemical anodization has been used to prepare uniform TiO2 nanotube array photoelectrode. The average internal diameter, tube length and wall thickness of the optimized morphology is similar to 180 nm, 14 mu m and 10 nm, respectively. It was found that the tube diameter increases with the anodization voltage. Diffraction data reveals that the nanotubes consist solely of anatase phase. Back illuminated geometry of dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC), with nanotubes grown at 60 V for 2 h, gave a cell performance of 4.5%. TiO2 nanotubes are loaded with silver (Ag) nanoparticles synthesized by a hydrothermal route. The Ag particle size is controlled resulting in solar conversion efficiency to increase by 22%. The DSSC based on TiO2 nanotube with Ag nanoparticles shows power conversion efficiency of 5.5%. Detailed characterization are performed, presented and discussed. (C) 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.