Synthesis of long TiO2 nanowire arrays with high surface areas via synergistic assembly route for highly efficient dye-sensitized solar cellsElectronic supplementary information (ESI) available. See DOI: 10.1039/c2jm32883f

• Main Authors: Wang, Xiaoyue, Liu, Yong, Zhou, Xiang, Li, Baojun, Wang, Hai, Zhao, Wenxia, Huang, Hong, Liang, Chaolun, Yu, Xiao, Liu, Zhong, Shen, Hui
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 07.08.2012
• DOI: 10.1039/c2jm32883f
• ISSN: 0959-9428

Vertically aligned single crystal TiO 2 nanowire arrays grown on transparent conductive substrates are of considerable interest for use as photoanodes in dye-sensitized solar cells because they can provide direct pathways that ensure the rapid collection of charge carriers generated throughout the cells. However, growth of TiO 2 nanowire arrays on conductive glass with the combined characteristics of a large surface area and lengths up to tens of micrometers is still challenging and desirable for highly efficient solar cells. Here, we reported a mild hydrothermal approach for growing vertically aligned TiO 2 nanowire arrays directly on conductive glass via the synergistic interaction of the octanoic acid and titanium trichloride. The resulting single crystal TiO 2 nanowire arrays possess a large surface area of 95 m 2 g 1 and a controlled length in the range of 6-46 m. By applying 9.6 m-long nanowire arrays in dye-sensitized solar cells, an overall photoconversion efficiency of 5.13% is achieved under a white light illumination of 100 mW cm 2 . A mild synthesis of long single crystal TiO 2 nanowire arrays with large surface area on FTO glass formed by the synergistic interaction of titanium trichloride and octanoic acid.