Highly efficient nanocrystalline titania films made from organic/inorganic nanocomposite gels

Thin transparent nanocrystalline titania films have been obtained from nanocomposite organic/inorganic gels by calcination at 550 degreesC. These gels have been deposited by the sol-gel process, where gelation is controlled by slow water release in the presence of ethanol and acetic acid while particle growth is controlled in the presence of the non-ionic surfactant Triton X-100. These titania films can attain high surface area (above 100 m(2)/g) while maintaining high quality nanocrystallinity so that they become very efficient for various applications, including dye-sensitized solar cells and photodegradation. (C) 2004 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.