Single-crystalline anatase TiO2 nanoleaf: Simple topochemical synthesis and light-scattering effect for dye-sensitized solar cells

A topochemical process was used to synthesize {010}-faceted leaflike anatase TiO2 nanocrystals from exfoliated layered titanate nanosheets. A light scattering effect of the leaflike anatase nanocrystals with a crystal size of 300 nm in length and 30 nm in width was studied as a light scattering layer on a P25 nanocrystalline-TiO2 film for dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). The light scattering layer fabricated using the leaflike nanocrystals exhibits a synergistic effect of light scattering and dye-loading for enhancement of light harvesting, which enhanced 28% of energy conversion efficiency of DSSCs by enhancing 33% of Jsc. The leaflike nanocrystals oriented to the direction vertical to the direction of incident light in the scattering layer improve the scattering effect of the scattering layer, and the dye molecules adsorbed on the {010}-faceted anatase exhibit high performance for photoelectron generation.