Nanostructured TiO2 for solar energy harvesting

• Main Author: Pan, Lei
• Other Authors: Tan Ooi Kiang
• Format: Final Year Project
• Language: English
• Published: 2013
• Subjects: DRNTU::Engineering::Electrical and electronic engineering::Nanoelectronics
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10356/54590
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

Nanostructured TiO2 is a promising material for solar energy harvesting. In this project, rutile-anatase core-shell TiO2 nanorod (NR) and nanotube (NT) arrays were prepared by a three-step growth/etching/coating method. Nanostructure TiO2 NR arrays were directly grown on fluorine doped tin oxide (FTO) glass by hydrothermal method. The TiO2 NT/NR core show rutile phase characteristics and the shell structure is in anatase phase. The TiO2 NT/NR arrays were studied by various characterization methods including scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, UV-vis spectrophotometer examination and selected area electron diffraction. Solar energy harvesting capability of the TiO2 NT/NR nanostructure was examined by two applications including the photocatalytic degradation property and the quantum dot sensitized solar cells. The photocatalytic property was measured by the methyl blue degradation speed under UV light catalyzed by the nanostructure. The quantum dot sensitized solar cell was fabricated using the TiO2 nanostructure as the photoanode and the CdSe quantum dots as the sensitizer. The core-shell NT arrays showed the best photocatalytic property over other structure. The solar cell which used the core-shell NT arrays as the photoanode also showed the highest conversion efficiency.