Densely aligned rutile TiO2 nanorod arrays with high surface area for efficient dye-sensitized solar cells.
One-dimensional (1-D) TiO(2) nanorod arrays (NRAs) with large inner surface area are desired in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). So far, good performance of DSSCs based on 1-D rutile TiO(2) NRAs remains a challenge mainly owing to their low dye-loading ability resulting from the insufficient specific surface area of 1-D TiO(2) nanostructures. In this paper, densely aligned TiO(2) NRAs with tunable thickness were grown directly on transparent conductive fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) substrates by hydrothermal method, followed by a facile chemical etching route to further increase the specific surface area of the TiO(2) NRAs. The etching treatment leads to the split of TiO(2) nanorods into secondary nanorods with a reduced diameter, which markedly enlarges the inner surface area of the TiO(2) NRAs. The formation of 1-D rutile TiO(2) nanotube arrays (NTAs) is observed as well in the etched TiO(2) films. Finally, a DSSC efficiency of 5.94% was achieved by utilizing an etched TiO(2) NRA as the photoanode, which is so far the best DSSC efficiency that has been reported for the 1-D rutile TiO(2) NRA films.
State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Department of Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005, People's Republic of China.
Miaoqiang
M
Lv
Dajiang
D
Zheng
Meidan
M
Ye
Lan
L
Sun
Jing
J
Xiao
Wenxi
W
Guo
Changjian
C
Lin
D004396:Coloring Agents / Q000737:chemistry*; D005461:Fluorine / Q000737:chemistry; D043942:Nanotubes / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D012993:Solar Energy; D013499:Surface Properties; D017971:Tin Compounds / Q000737:chemistry; D014025:Titanium / Q000737:chemistry*
D004396:Coloring Agents; D017971:Tin Compounds; C009495:titanium dioxide; D005461:Fluorine; D014025:Titanium; C045358:stannic oxide