Enhancement of solar energy absorption using a plasmonic nanofluid based on TiO2/Ag composite nanoparticles

Abstract

Combined with the solar irradiation spectrum, the optical properties of both TiO₂/Ag composite nanoparticles and water-based nanofluids composed of different nanoparticles are studied. The solar energy absorption features are compared among these nanofluids based on TiO₂, Ag and TiO₂/Ag composite nanoparticles. Due to the localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) effect excited on the Ag surface, the optical absorption of TiO₂/Ag plasmonic nanofluid is remarkably enhanced. The enhanced absorption by LSPR excitation is introduced in solar thermal conversion. The photothermal experiments of different nanofluids conducted under the same conditions reveal that TiO₂/Ag plasmonic nanofluid exhibits a higher temperature compared with that of TiO₂ based nanofluid. Although the temperatures of Ag nanofluid and TiO₂/Ag nanofluid are the same, the cost of TiO₂/Ag based nanofluid is much lower. The effect of nanoparticle concentration on the photothermal performance of TiO₂/Ag plasmonic nanofluid is also studied in this paper.