One-Pot Synthesis of [111]-/{010} Facets Coexisting Anatase Nanocrystals with Enhanced Dye-Sensitized Solar Cell Performance

A facile one-pot hydrothermal synthesis cuboid/rhombic coexisting anatase nanocrystals with a large percentage of [111]-/{010} facets were reported through using tetratitanate nano-ribbons as a precursor. The nanostructures and the formation reaction mechanism of the obtained anatase TiO2 nanocrystals from the layered tetratitanate nanoribbons were investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), and transmission electron microscope (TEM). The transformation from the layered phase into the anatase TiO2 may experience two types of reaction during the hydrothermal reaction, including the in situ topotactic dehydration reaction and the dissolution-deposition reaction. And the adsorption behavior of N719 Dye on TiO2 surface was studied. Furthermore, the dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC) performance of the synthesized [111]-/{010}-faceted anatase nanocrystals was also characterized, which showed a superior photovoltaic performance, compared to the commercial P25 TiO2 nanocrystals.