title: Multi-Scale-Porosity TiO2scaffolds grown by innovative sputtering methods for high throughput hybrid photovoltaics.
abstract: We propose an up-scalable, reliable, contamination-free, rod-like TiO2material grown by a new method based on sputtering deposition concepts which offers a multi-scale porosity, namely: an intra-rods nano-porosity (1-5 nm) arising from the Thornton's conditions and an extra-rods meso-porosity (10-50 nm) originating from the spatial separation of the Titanium and Oxygen sources combined with a grazing Ti flux. The procedure is simple, since it does not require any template layer to trigger the nano-structuring, and versatile, since porosity and layer thickness can be easily tuned; it is empowered by the lack of contaminations/solvents and by the structural stability of the material (at least) up to 500 °C. Our material gains porosity, stability and infiltration capability superior if compared to conventionally sputtered TiO2layers. Its competition level with chemically synthesized reference counterparts is doubly demonstrated: in Dye Sensitized Solar Cells, by the infiltration and chemisorption of N-719 dye (∼1 × 1020molecules/cm3); and in Perovskite Solar Cells, by the capillary infiltration of solution processed CH3NH3PbI3which allowed reaching efficiency of 11.7%. Based on the demonstrated attitude of the material to be functionalized, its surface activity could be differently tailored on other molecules or gas species or liquids to enlarge the range of application in different fields.
authors.affiliation: National Research Council-Institute for Microelectronics and Microsystems (CNR-IMM), Zona Industriale-Strada VIII no. 5, Catania 95121, Italy.|University of Messina, Department of Mathematical and Computational Sciences, Physics and Earth Sciences, V. le F. Stagno d'Alcontres 31, Messina 98166, Italy.
authors.forename: Salvatore
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sanzaro
authors.affiliation: National Research Council-Institute for Microelectronics and Microsystems (CNR-IMM), Zona Industriale-Strada VIII no. 5, Catania 95121, Italy.
authors.forename: Emanuele
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Smecca
authors.affiliation: National Research Council-Institute for Microelectronics and Microsystems (CNR-IMM), Zona Industriale-Strada VIII no. 5, Catania 95121, Italy.
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Mannino
authors.affiliation: National Research Council-Institute for Microelectronics and Microsystems (CNR-IMM), Zona Industriale-Strada VIII no. 5, Catania 95121, Italy.
authors.forename: Corrado
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bongiorno
authors.affiliation: National Research Council-Institute for Microelectronics and Microsystems (CNR-IMM), Zona Industriale-Strada VIII no. 5, Catania 95121, Italy.
authors.forename: Giovanna
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Pellegrino
authors.affiliation: University of Messina, Department of Mathematical and Computational Sciences, Physics and Earth Sciences, V. le F. Stagno d'Alcontres 31, Messina 98166, Italy.
authors.forename: Fortunato
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Neri
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Catania, V. le Andrea Doria 6, 95125 Catania, Italy.
authors.forename: Graziella
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Malandrino
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Catania, V. le Andrea Doria 6, 95125 Catania, Italy.
authors.forename: Maria Rita
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Catalano
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Catania, V. le Andrea Doria 6, 95125 Catania, Italy.
authors.forename: Guglielmo Guido
authors.initials: GG
authors.lastname: Condorelli
authors.affiliation: Italian Institute of Technology Foundation-Center for Biomolecular Nanotechnology (IIT-CBN) Via Barsanti sn, 73010, Arnesano, Italy.|University of Salento, Department of Innovation Engineering, Via per Monteroni 73100, Lecce, Italy.
authors.forename: Rosabianca
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Iacobellis
authors.affiliation: National Research Council-Institute of Nanotechnology (CNR-Nanotec), District of Technology, Via Arnesano 16, 73100 Lecce, Italy.
authors.forename: Luisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: De Marco
authors.affiliation: National Research Council-Institute for Microelectronics and Microsystems (CNR-IMM), Zona Industriale-Strada VIII no. 5, Catania 95121, Italy.
authors.forename: Corrado
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Spinella
authors.affiliation: National Research Council-Institute for Microelectronics and Microsystems (CNR-IMM), Zona Industriale-Strada VIII no. 5, Catania 95121, Italy.
authors.forename: Antonino
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: La Magna
authors.affiliation: National Research Council-Institute for Microelectronics and Microsystems (CNR-IMM), Zona Industriale-Strada VIII no. 5, Catania 95121, Italy.
authors.forename: Alessandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Alberti