Mix-solvent-thermal method for the synthesis of anatase nanocrystalline titanium dioxide used in dye-sensitized solar cell

Nanocrystalline TiO2 with almost pure anatase form has been synthesized through the Mix-solvent-thermal method (MST) by using TiCl4 as the starting material. The mean size of the synthesized TiO2 is 10 nm with narrow distribution. High-performance dye-sensitized solar cell with nanocrystalline TiO2 electrode formed from MST was achieved. Its I sc and V oc values reached 21.62 mA/cm2 and 727.9 mV, respectively, and the photovoltaic conversion efficiency reached 9.13%, i.e. 7.5% higher than those of solar cells with TiO2 made from the traditional precursor of titanium alkoxides. To our knowledge they are the highest values obtained from the solar cells with nanocrystalline TiO2 electrode formed from the hydrolysis of TiCl4.