title: Graphene Oxide-Assisted Synthesis of Microsized Ultrathin Single-Crystalline Anatase TiO2 Nanosheets and Their Application in Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells.
abstract: High-quality microsized ultrathin single-crystalline anatase TiO2 nanosheets (MS-TiO2) with exposed {001} facets were synthesized by a facile and low-cost two-step process that combines a graphene oxide (GO)-assisted hydrothermal method with calcination. Both GO and HF play an important role in the formation of well dispersed MS-TiO2. As a novel microsized (1-4 μm) ultrathin two-dimensional (2D) material, MS-TiO2 possesses much higher lateral size and aspect ratio compared to common 2D nanosized (30-60 nm) ultrathin TiO2 nanosheets (NS-TiO2), resulting in excellent electronic conductivity and superior electron transfer and diffusion properties. Here, we fabricated MS-TiO2 and NS-TiO2, both of which were incorporated with the TiO2 nanoparticles (P25) to constitute the hybrid photoanode of dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs), and explored the effect of the lateral size (nano- and micro-) of ultrathin TiO2 nanosheets on their electron transfer and diffusion properties. Benefiting from the faster electron transfer rate and short diffusion path of the MS-TiO2, the MS-TiO2/P25 gains the more superior performance compared to pure P25 and NS-TiO2/P25 in the application of DSSCs. Moreover, it is expected that the novel high aspect ratio MS-TiO2 may be applied in diverse fields including photocatalysis, photodetectors, lithium-ion batteries and others concerning the environment and energy.
authors.affiliation: School of Materials Science and Engineering and Tianjin Key Laboratory of Composite and Functional Materials, Tianjin University , Tianjin 300072, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Biao
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: School of Materials Science and Engineering and Tianjin Key Laboratory of Composite and Functional Materials, Tianjin University , Tianjin 300072, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Junwei
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sha
authors.affiliation: School of Materials Science and Engineering and Tianjin Key Laboratory of Composite and Functional Materials, Tianjin University , Tianjin 300072, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: School of Materials Science and Engineering and Tianjin Key Laboratory of Composite and Functional Materials, Tianjin University , Tianjin 300072, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Fang
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: He
authors.affiliation: School of Materials Science and Engineering and Tianjin Key Laboratory of Composite and Functional Materials, Tianjin University , Tianjin 300072, People's Republic of China.|Collaborative Innovation Centre of Chemical Science and Engineering , Tianjin 300072, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Enzuo
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: School of Materials Science and Engineering and Tianjin Key Laboratory of Composite and Functional Materials, Tianjin University , Tianjin 300072, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Chunsheng
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.affiliation: School of Materials Science and Engineering and Tianjin Key Laboratory of Composite and Functional Materials, Tianjin University , Tianjin 300072, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Chunnian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: He
authors.affiliation: School of Materials Science and Engineering and Tianjin Key Laboratory of Composite and Functional Materials, Tianjin University , Tianjin 300072, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Jiajun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: School of Materials Science and Engineering and Tianjin Key Laboratory of Composite and Functional Materials, Tianjin University , Tianjin 300072, People's Republic of China.|Collaborative Innovation Centre of Chemical Science and Engineering , Tianjin 300072, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Naiqin
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Zhao
keywords: TiO2 nanosheets; electron diffusion property; electron transfer property; graphene oxide; microsized; nanosized; ultrathin