Preparation and characterization of high-efficiency plasma dye-sensitized cell photoanode based on Cu/CuO/TiO₂...

T his research investigates the application of an innovative Cu/CuO/TiO₂ hybrid nanostructure as a high-performance photoanode in plasmon-enhanced dye-sensitized solar cells (P-DSSCs). The ternary nanocomposite was successfully fabricated through an eco-friendly solvothermal synthesis method without employing toxic chemical precursors. Structural characterization via electron microscopy (SEM/TEM) confirmed the formation of three-dimensional heterostructures with precisely controlled nanoscale architectures. Spectral analysis revealed that the integration of copper nanostructures with TiO₂ matrices induces localized surface plasmon resonance effects, significantly enhancing light absorption across visible wavelengths. Crystallographic analysis (XRD) combined with elemental mapping (EDX) unambiguously confirmed the structural coexistence of metallic Cu nanoparticles and copper oxide phases within the heterostructure system. Current-voltage characteristic analysis demonstrated superior performance of the Cu/CuO/TiO₂ ternary nanocomposite-assembled photoanode in P-DSSCs, achieving a 15% enhancement in photoconversion efficiency (PCE) and reaching 6.87% compared with conventional CuO/TiO₂ nanoparticle-based counterparts.