Nanocrystalline TiO2 thin film electrodes prepared by common pressure hydrothermal method at low temperature

Nanocrystalline TiO2 thin film electrodes have been prepared from mixed pastes of tetrabutyl titanate and nanocrystalline TiO2 particles by common pressure hydrothermal method at low temperature. The tetrabutyl titanate was hydrolyzed and crystallized into anatase TiO2 to interconnect nanocrystalline TiO2 particles and adhere them to conductive substrates, obtaining highly porous and mechanically stable TiO2 nanocrystalline film. The conversion efficiencies of the dye-sensitized solar cells based on prepared electrodes on conductive glass substrates and flexible substrates were 4.8% and 1.9% under illumination of 100 mW/cm(2), respectively.