Comparative study of nanocrystalline TiO2 photoelectrodes based on characteristics of nanopowder used

TiO2 photoelectrodes are made using the dip-coating technique with colloidal suspensions of TiO2 nanopowders. Two different commercial TiO2 powders are selected with nanocrystals having different porosity and somewhat different crystal structure. Photoelectrodes are characterized using a practical two-electrode photoelectrochemical cell arrangement. Differences in open-circuit photovoltage and short-circuit photocurrent are reported and explained based on initial powder characteristics. Differences in time response found are also explained. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.