Hydrothermal synthesis of titanate nanoparticle/carbon nanotube hybridized material for dye sensitized solar cell application

With the hydrothermal treatment, titanate nanostructure with distinctively different morphology and surface characteristics was successfully synthesized from commercial rutile titania powder dispersed in accommodating media which were deionized water or NaOH solution. Hybridized materials of titanate nanoparticles and carbon nanotubes (CNT) were also synthesized by the hydrothermal treatment process. Intrinsic interaction of titanate nanoparticles and CNTs could be confirmed by spectroscopic analysis. The synthesized titanate nanoparticle/CNT hybridized material was then employed for fabricating a working electrode of dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSC). Based on experimental results, DSSC fabricated from the hybridized titanate nanoparticles and carbon nanotubes could provide the highest photoconversion efficiency of approximately 3.92%.

Graphical abstractShort-circuit current–voltage curves of DSSC with electrodes fabricated from different electrode materials.Figure optionsDownload full-size imageDownload as PowerPoint slideHighlights► Hybridized titanate and carbon nanotubes were prepared by hydrothermal treatment. ► Systematic analyses confirm the intrinsic properties of the hybridized material. ► DSSC made of the hybridized material provide the highest efficiency of 3.92%.