Enhanced electron collection in photoanode based on ultrafine TiO2 nanotubes by a rapid anodization process

The separated and ultrafine TiO₂ nanotubes are fabricated by a modified rapid anodization method, which cannot be achieved through conventional anodization. Then, model dye-sensitized solar cells based on the prepared TiO₂ nanotubes and commercial TiO₂ nanoparticles (P25) are investigated, and a discrepancy is discovered between the light-harvesting capability and the power conversion efficiency. The charge transport and recombination are studied by the electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and the open-circuit voltage decay technique. Results show that the nanotube photoanode owns a longer electron diffusion length and a larger electron lifetime than the nanoparticle one, which can compensate for the loss of light absorption. The enhanced electron collection efficiency observed is attributed to the facilitated charge carrier pathways in the photoanode composed by the separated TiO₂ nanotubes fabricated in this work. Therefore, the TiO₂ nanotubes synthesized by this method are verified to have good electronic properties, which might find applications not only in photovoltaic, but also in catalysis, sensors, and other areas.