Ultra-fast photocatalytic and dye-sensitized solar cell performances of mesoporous TiO2 nanospheres

Mesoporous anatase TiO2 nanospheres with good interconnectivity were prepared by solvothermal method using carbon spheres as a template. FESEM and TEM images revealed the formation of mesoporous TiO2 nanospheres with the sizes of 150-200 nm. It was composed of nanoparticles in the range of 5-10 nm. XRD patterns revealed the anatase phase. Raman and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analyses ascertained that the carbon spheres acted only as a template to obtain the mesoporous TiO2 nanospheres. The formation mechanism of the mesoporous TiO2 nanospheres was discussed. The photocatalytic performance of the mesoporous TiO2 nanospheres with different dosage on Methylene Blue (MB) as a model pollutant was carried out under visible light irradiation. The mesoporous TiO2 nanospheres exhibited ultra-fast degradation of MB within 1.5 min. It was three times higher than that of commercial P25 TiO2 photocatalyst. TiO2 mesoporous nanospheres were used as a photoanode material for the fabrication of dye sensitized solar cell (DSSC) using N719 dye as a sensitizer and device showed an efficiency of 4.65%.