Study of gold, silver-gold nanoparticles incorporated to carbon paint for electrodes application in thin-film solar cells

The study investigated Au-Ag and Au nanoparticles (NPs) synthesized chemically and added to a commercial conductive carbon paint used as electrodes in Bi2S3/PbS thin-film solar cells. I-V measurements were used for device characterization. NPs were found on the carbon paint surface with sizes of 11.1 ± 0.09 nm to 29 ± 7.5 nm. FFT analysis showed a cubic crystal structure for all NPs. Optically, Au-Ag(1) exhibited broad absorption (363–600 nm), Au-Ag(2) peaked at 546 nm, and Au at 521 nm. Devices with NP-modified electrodes with sizes 29 ± 7.5 nm showed enhanced short-circuit current density (JSC), with Au-Ag(2) reaching 7.19 mA/cm2 and a PCE of 0.46 %, compared to the reference JSC of 3.02 mA/cm2 and PCE of 0.11 %. Series resistance dropped from 23 Ω·cm2 to 2 Ω·cm2 (Au-Ag) and 5 Ω·cm2 (Au).