Fabrication of TiO2 nanotubes by using electrodeposited ZnO nanorod template and their application to hybrid solar cells

Vertically aligned TiO2 nanotubes have been fabricated on the indium-doped tin oxide (ITO) by a simple and versatile technique using the electrochemically deposited ZnO nanorods, oriented along the c-axis, as a template in the spin-on based sol–gel reaction of a Ti precursor. The diameter, length, and shape of TiO2 nanotubes were controlled by changing the initial ZnO nanorod template and the spin conditions during sol–gel process of a Ti precursor. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX) analysis, and X-ray diffraction (XRD) were used to confirm the successful formation of TiO2 nanotubes and characterize their structure and morphology. Furthermore, as an application of the TiO2 nanotubes, hybrid solar cells based on TiO2 and poly[2-methoxy,5-(2′-ethyl-hexyloxy)1,4-phenylenevinylene] (MEH-PPV) were successfully fabricated.