Synthesis of Rutile TiO2 Nanorod and Application in Dye-sensitized Solar Cell

The sodium dodecyl benzene sulfate (DBS) surfactant was used in the hydrothermal synthesis of TiO2 nanomaterials. Without the addition of DBS in the TiO2 Sol, the obtained sample is 10-20nm anatase TiO2 nanoparticle. While with the addition of DBS, the obtained sample turns to rutile TiO2 nanorod. Although the dye adsorption ability and the photovoltaic performance of the photoelectrode with rutile TiO2 nanorod is poorer than that of the photoelectrode with anatase TiO2 nanoparticle, the rutile TiO2 nanorod has higher light scattering ability. When using the rutile TiO2 nanorod in the fabrication of the reflecting layer in the photoelectrode, the layer can reflect light and convert energy. This new kind of reflecting layer in the photoelectrode shows higher efficiency in enhancing the energy conversion efficiency of dye-sensitized solar cell (with 26.14% enhancement) than that of traditional Ti-nanoxide 300 reflecting layer (with 11.04% enhancement). The reason is that the double functions of rutile TiO2 nanorod reflecting layer are superior than that of traditional Ti-nanoxide 300 reflecting layer in enhancing the short-circuit current density of dye-sensitized solar cell.