title: Tunable synthesis of single-crystalline-like TiO₂ mesocrystals and their application as effective scattering layer in dye-sensitized solar cells.
abstract: Single-crystalline-like TiO2 mesocrystals (TMCs) with spherical and spindle-like shapes were selectively prepared in acetic acid system using benzoic acid as structural directing regent. It was found that the intermediate butyl-benzoic acid could interval the oriented assembly of the primary nanoparticles as porogen and shape regulator, which results in spherical TMCs with greater pore size distribution compared with the spindle-like TMCs. When used as scattering layer in dye sensitized solar cells (DSSCs), the spherical TMCs with long-range ordered stacking pattern results in characteristic photonic reflection, which enhances the scattering effect of the photoanode and leads to a high short circuit current density of 16.6 mA cm(-2). Therefore, Cell-spherical TMCs demonstrated a high power conversion efficiencies of 8.10%, indicating substantial improvements compared with Cell-spindle-like TMCs (7.58%) and Cell-nanoparticle (6.59%).
authors.affiliation: School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Henan Normal University, Henan, Xinxiang 453007, PR China; Collaborative Innovation Center of Henan Province for Green Motive Power and Key Materials, Henan Key Laboratory of Photovoltaic Materials, Henan Normal University, Xinxiang, Henan 453007, PR China. Electronic address: dpengwu@126.com.
authors.forename: Dapeng
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Henan Normal University, Henan, Xinxiang 453007, PR China.
authors.forename: Kun
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Cao
authors.affiliation: School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Henan Normal University, Henan, Xinxiang 453007, PR China.
authors.forename: Hongju
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Henan Normal University, Henan, Xinxiang 453007, PR China.
authors.forename: Fujuan
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Henan Normal University, Henan, Xinxiang 453007, PR China.
authors.forename: Zhiyong
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.affiliation: School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Henan Normal University, Henan, Xinxiang 453007, PR China.
authors.forename: Fang
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Henan Normal University, Henan, Xinxiang 453007, PR China; Collaborative Innovation Center of Henan Province for Green Motive Power and Key Materials, Henan Key Laboratory of Photovoltaic Materials, Henan Normal University, Xinxiang, Henan 453007, PR China.
authors.forename: Yuming
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.affiliation: School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Henan Normal University, Henan, Xinxiang 453007, PR China; Collaborative Innovation Center of Henan Province for Green Motive Power and Key Materials, Henan Key Laboratory of Photovoltaic Materials, Henan Normal University, Xinxiang, Henan 453007, PR China.
authors.forename: Kai
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Jiang
keywords: Dye sensitized solar cells; Mesoporous structure; Oriented attachment; TiO(2)