Surfactant-assisted shape evolution of thermally synthesized TiO2 nanocrystals and their applications to efficient photoelectrodes.
TiO2 nanocrystals were synthesized via a two-phase thermal process, and the shape of the nanocrystals was controlled from nanospheres to nanorods by the ratio of two surfactants. The shape control of nanocrystals was ascribed to the selective adsorption of the two surfactants. The shape of TiO2 nanocrystals influenced the photocatalytic performances of the photoelectrodes through two compromising factors: the relative surface area and the electron transport. The photoelectrode composed of nanorods showed a slower charge recombination rate, while it showed a smaller specific surface area, compared to nanospheres. As a result, the photoelectrodes showed the optimal photocatalytic performance when the nanospheres and the nanorods were mixed.
Kim
Jin Young
JY
Chemical and Biosciences Center, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Golden, CO 80401, USA. JinYoung_Kim@nrel.gov
Choi
Sung Bum
SB
Kim
Dong Wook
DW
Lee
Sangwook
S
Jung
Hyun Suk
HS
Lee
Jung-Kun
JK
Hong
Kug Sun
KS