title: Rational surface engineering of anatase titania core-shell nanowire arrays: full-solution processed synthesis and remarkable photovoltaic performance.
abstract: The high-performance of a well-aligned 1D nanostructured electrode relies largely on a smart and rational modification with other active nanomaterials. Herein, we present a facile solution-based route to fabricate a well-aligned metal oxide-based core-shell hybrid arrays on TCO substrate. Demonstrated samples included nanowire@nanoparticle (TNW@NP) or nanowire@nanosheet (TNW@NS) with a unique porous core/shell nanowire arrays architecture in the absence or presence of DETA during the solvothermal treatment process. The "alcoholysis" and "ripening" growth mechanism is proposed to explain the formation of honeycomb-like nanosheets shell on nanowires core. Based on careful control of experimental condition, a novel double layered TiO2 photoanode (DL-TNW@NS-YSHTSs) consisting of 16 μm thick TNW@NS under layer and 6 μm thick yolk-shell hierarchical TiO2 microspheres (YSHTSs) top layer can be obtained, exhibiting an impressive PCE over 10% at 100 mW cm(-2), which can be attributed to the well-organized photoanode composed of hierarchical core-shell arrays architecture and yolk-shell hollow spheres architecture with synergistic effects of high dye loading and superior light scattering for prominent light harvesting efficiency.
authors.affiliation: MOE Key Laboratory of Bioinorganic and Synthetic Chemistry, KLGHEI of Environment and Energy Chemistry, Lehn Institute of Functional Materials, State Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Materials and Technologies, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Sun Yat-sen University , Guangzhou 510275, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Wu-Qiang
authors.initials: WQ
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Hao-Lin
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Feng
authors.forename: Hua-Shang
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Rao
authors.forename: Dai-Bin
authors.initials: DB
authors.lastname: Kuang
authors.forename: Cheng-Yong
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Su
keywords: core−shell; electron transport; nanosheets; nanowires; solar cells