title: Two novel hierarchical homogeneous nanoarchitectures of TiO2 nanorods branched and P25-coated TiO2 nanotube arrays and their photocurrent performances.
abstract: We report here for the first time the synthesis of two novel hierarchical homogeneous nanoarchitectures of TiO2 nanorods branched TiO2 nanotube arrays (BTs) and P25-coated TiO2 nanotube arrays (PCTs) using two-step method including electrochemical anodization and hydrothermal modification process. Then the photocurrent densities versus applied potentials of BTs, PCTs, and pure TiO2 nanotube arrays (TNTAs) were investigated as well. Interestingly, at -0.11 V and under the same illumination condition, the photocurrent densities of BTs and PCTs show more than 1.5 and 1 times higher than that of pure TNTAs, respectively, which can be mainly attributed to significant improvement of the light-absorbing and charge-harvesting efficiency resulting from both larger and rougher surface areas of BTs and PCTs. Furthermore, these dramatic improvements suggest that BTs and PCTs will achieve better photoelectric conversion efficiency and become the promising candidates for applications in DSSCs, sensors, and photocatalysis.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, Central China Normal University, Wuhan 430079, P, R, China. xthuang@phy.ccnu.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Anzheng
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.forename: Cuixia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.forename: Xin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Jian
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.forename: Ruimin
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ding
authors.forename: Jianhui
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: Fei
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Jinping
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Xintang
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Huang