Vertically aligned anatase TiO2 nanowire bundle arrays: Use as Pt support for counter electrodes in dye-sensitized solar cells

•Vertically anatase TiO2 nanowire bundle array is prepared.•The TiO2 nanowire array is used as Pt support to fabricate counter electrode.•The counter electrode provides more active sites and higher charge transfer.•An enhanced conversion efficiency was obtained.

Vertically aligned anatase TiO2 nanowire bundle arrays are prepared via a solvothermal and subsequent calcination process. Pt nanoparticles with a size of 4–6 nm are uniformly immobilized on TiO2 nanowire bundle array to obtain Pt/TiO2 nanowire bundle array counter electrode, which can remarkably enhance catalytically active sites and provide facile transport of ions and electrons. The as-prepared materials are characterized by scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction. The dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC) fabricated with Pt/TiO2 nanowire bundle array counter electrode shows significantly higher photovoltaic performance than the conventional Pt counter electrode.

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