Abstract
AgBi(2)S(3), a copious and innocuous ternary metal chalcogenide affiliated with the I-V-IV group of semiconductors, was synthesized. With an energy gap of 1.2eV, it closely matches the optimal 1.39eV for solar cell absorbers. Importantly, this chalcogenide exhibits a high absorption coefficient of 10(5) cm(-1) at 600 nm. Using the successive ionic layer adsorption and reaction (SILAR) method; we deposited an AgBi(2)S(3) thin film onto a titanium dioxide (TiO(2)) thin film. Characterization techniques encompassed XRD, SEM, EDXS, UV-Vis, EIS, and PEC performance analyses. The resulting TiO(2)/AgBi(2)S(3) composite film ranged in thickness from 8 μm to 13 μm, with particle sizes spanning 20 nm-265 nm. Notably, the deposition of AgBi(2)S(3) onto the TiO(2) film caused depreciation in the TiO(2) energy gap from 3.1eV to 1.7eV. Furthermore, it significantly enhanced the TiO(2) film's absorbance across the visible and near-infrared regions. Intriguingly, the TiO(2)/AgBi(2)S(3) composite film also exhibited discernible photoelectrochemical behavior.