Gold nanoparticles functionalised with Ru-dicarboxybipyridine-trimercaptotriazine: SERS effect and application in plasmonic dye solar cells

摘要

A dicarboxybipyridine-trimercaptotriazine ruthenium complex, primarily designed for dye-sensitised solar cells (DSSC), has been successfully employed in the generation of electrostatically stabilised gold colloids, because of its high negative charge and capability of binding to gold nanoparticles via the sulphur groups. Strong SERS enhancements have been obtained for the isolated gold nanoparticles, as monitored by dark field hyperspectral and confocal Raman microscopy. A preliminary design of TiO2 solar cell incorporating the ruthenium dye in association with the gold nanoparticles, has been tested, in the presence of a cobalt complex mediator. The results were considered rather promising, in spite of the slight decay of efficiency in relation to the original dye cell, owing to lixiviation processes and electron recombination effects at the interface.