Mulberry-like CdSe Nanoclusters Anchored on TiO2 Nanotube Arrays: A Novel Architecture with Remarkable Photoelectrochemical Performance

Mulberry-like CdSe nanoclusters with well-defined crystallinity have been assembled into vertically aligned TiO2 nanotubes by photo-assisted electrodeposition method to form new architecture CdSe nanoclusters, caused by the synergistic effect of photoetching and electrodeposition, broaden the absorption spectra to entire visible region with a promising behavior of photoinduced charge separation. A photocurrent density of 16 mA cm(-2) was achieved under 100 mW cm(-2) visible light illumination with 0V bias potential (vs SCE). The remarkable photoresponse should be ascribed to the high-quality of 3-D multijunction structure and the driving force for electron transfer in mulberry-like nanoclusters. The experimental demonstration provides a strategy for integrating novel mulberry-like nanoclusters to fabricate semiconductor nanocrystal sensitized photovoltaic cells.