Issue 2, 2022

An investigation of the effect of high-pressure on charge transfer in dye-sensitized solar cells based on surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy

Abstract

The interfacial charge transfer (CT) that plays an important role in enhancing the photoelectric conversion efficiency of dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) has not always been fully explored. Here, a TiO2@N719@Ag DSSC system was constructed, and the CT processes have been monitored by surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) spectra. Meanwhile, it is well known that as one of the most common external stimuli, high pressure can increase the free carrier density of TiO2 NPs and cause the band gap to narrow. In the high pressure SERS experiment, we observed a significant enhancement of the N719 dye in the TiO2@N719@Ag system up to 2.48 GPa, which is consistent with the variation trend of the charge transfer degree (ρCT). It is indicated that band gap changes will strongly affect the CT processes, further influence the SERS signal intensity (or ρCT), and thus increase the CT probability of DSSCs. Furthermore, the decoration of Ag NPs in the TiO2@N719@Ag DSSC system can introduce localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR), enhance the light trapping ability and offer additional CT pathways. Importantly, it is possible to improve the photoelectric conversion performance of DSSCs via the high pressure method and the introduction of Ag NPs. Finally, in order to observe the CT process of DSSCs more clearly, the models describing the CT mechanism have been proposed. SERS spectroscopy is expected to be a promising technique for the exploration of the interfacial CT behavior in DSSC devices, which may further broaden the thoughts of improvement of efficiency of the cells.

Graphical abstract: An investigation of the effect of high-pressure on charge transfer in dye-sensitized solar cells based on surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
22 Sept. 2021
Accepted
30 Nov. 2021
First published
30 Nov. 2021

Nanoscale, 2022,14, 373-381

An investigation of the effect of high-pressure on charge transfer in dye-sensitized solar cells based on surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy

L. Zhu, P. Li, H. Sun, X. Han, Y. Xu, X. Wang, B. Liu, Y. Ozaki and B. Zhao, Nanoscale, 2022, 14, 373 DOI: 10.1039/D1NR06250F

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