Synthesis, characterization and dye-sensitized solar cells performance of flower-like TiO2 nanostructures

Summary form only given. Large-scale flower-like TiO₂ nanostructures with diameter about 300 nm were synthesized via a simple solution route at a near room temperature. The samples characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and high-resolution electron microscopy (HRTEM). The results show that the flower-like nanostructures are composed of nanorods which with diameter about 10-20 nm and the lengths about 80-150 nm. The performance of flower-like TiO₂ nanostructures as the photoanode of dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) was investigated. The high surface area flower-like TiO₂ nanostructures are also very attractive in the fields of environmental pollutants removal.