Nanoarchitecture of Titania Designed for Ruthenium Dye-Sensitized Photoelectrochemical Cells

A nanoarchitecture of metal oxide designed by a CVD technique operated under atmospheric pressure is proposed. As one of the advantages of the nanoarchitecture is its relatively large surface area, the catalyst is thought to be one of good applications. A photoelectrochemical cell utilizing dye-sensitized anatase was assembled to confirm application of nanoarchitechture. The anatase polycrystalline film, 4-8 mu m in thickness, is composed of columnar structures constructed by crystalline particles, several being approximately 100 nm in size. The photosensitizer, Ru(4,4'-dicarboxy-2,2'-bipyridine)2(NCS)2 (Ru(dcbpy)2(NCS)2), adheres to the anatase surface firmly, followed by the assembly of the photoelectrochemical cell. A sunlight-to-electrical energy conversion efficiency of 3.96% was observed. 13 refs.