Synthesis of highly crystalline ‘particle in tube’ TiO2 nanostructures and its application in dye sensitized solar cells

TiO₂ nanoparticles are extensively used in dye sensitized solar cells (DSSC) because of its large surface area for dye adsorption and favorable positioning of its conduction band. 1-D nanostructure provide directional pathway for electron transport, potentially reducing recombination rate in DSSCs. To augment the advantages of nanoparticles and nanotubes, `particle in tube´ TiO<sub>2</sub> nanostructures were synthesized. These nanostructures were synthesized by room temperature crystallization of TiO<sub>2</sub> nanotubes in water followed by annealing. Preliminary studies show that the dye sensitized solar cells with `particle in tube´ haves a higher efficiency as compared to cells based only on TiO₂ nanotubes or nanoparticles based DSSC.