Applications of Tunable TiO2 Nanotubes as Nanotemplate and Photovoltaic Device

Highly ordered anodic titanium oxide (ATO) TiO2 nanotube film has been synthesized via a typical two-step anodization method. Following a reductive doping approach, metallic materials (copper and nickel) can be efficiently electrodeposited into the nanotubes. This versatile process yields reproducible tubular structures in ATO membranes, because of the conductive nature of crystallized TiO2, yielding promising potential for nanotemplate applications. In this paper, we present a dyesensitized solar cell constructed by employing such ATO films. It is observed that the reductive doping treatment can also enhance the solar cell's short current density and fill factor, resulting in an improved energy conversion efficiency.