Double-shell CeO2:Yb, Er@SiO2@Ag upconversion composite nanofibers as an assistant layer enhanced near-infrared harvesting for dye-sensitized solar cells

Double-shell CeO2:Yb,Er@SiO2@Ag upconversion composite nanofibers are synthesized by electrospinning and subsequent process. CeO2:Yb,Er@SiO2@Ag nanofibers show high upconversion luminescence property due to the coating of amorphous SiO2 and the surface plasmon resonance effect of Ag nanoparticles. CeO2:Yb,Er@SiO2@Ag nanofibers act as an assistant layer in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) and enhance the photoelectric conversion efficiency (PCE) to 8.17%. The photocurrent-voltage characteristic is obtained under 980 nm laser as illumination light source. In addition, the absorption of the incident photon-to-current conversion efficiency curve in 900-1000 nm near-infrared light confirms that the introduction of the upconversion nanomaterial broadens the absorption range, improves the utilization rate of the sunlight and increases the PCE of DSSCs.