Hybrid Silver Nanowire/Titanium Oxides Nanocomposites as Anode for Dye-Sensitized Solar Cell Application

In this study, we investigated the effect of adding metallic nanowires in the anode of dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC) to improve the photovoltaic efficiency. Photo-excited electrons can be efficiently transferred to the electrode through the network of the dispersed metallic nanowires added in the anode. We compared the photovoltaic performance with the anodes of standard P-25, the silver nanowire/P-25, and the TiO2 coated silver nanowire/P-25 DSSC. The DSSC with TiO2 coated silver nanowires shows significantly improved (about 1.5 and 2.0 times) photovoltaic efficiency and structural durability compared with that of the standard P-25 and the silver nanowires without coating DSSC. The TiO2 coated silver nanowire can resist the redox chemical corrosions by iodide ions since they are protected from contact with electrolytes during the photovoltaic reaction by the coated thin TiO2 layer. The presence of the metal network (silver nanowires) improves the production and transportation of light generated current so as to the photovoltaic efficiency.