Hydrothermal seeded synthesis of mesoporous titania for application in dye-sensitised solar cells (DSSCs)

A modified-templated- hydrothermal technique was used to prepare mesoporous titania powders through the interaction of tiny anatase seeds (

Lead sulfide nanocrystal: conducting polymer solar cells

In this paper, we report photovoltaic devices fabricated from lead sulfide nanocrystals and the conducting polymer poly(2-methoxy-5-(2'-ethyl-hexyloxy)-p-phenylene vinylene). This composite material was produced via a new single-pot synthesis which solves many of the issues associated with existing methods. Our devices have white light power conversion efficiencies under AM 1.5 illumination of 0.7% and single wavelength conversion efficiencies of 1.1%. Additionally, they exhibit remarkably good ideality factors (n = 1.15). Our measurements show that these composites have significant potential as soft optoelectronic materials.

A Two-Step Sol–Gel Method for Synthesis of Nanoporous TiO2

This article reports a study of the effects of synthesis parameters on the preparation and formation of mesoporous titania nanopowders by employing a two-step sol-gel method. These materials displayed crystalline domains characteristic of anatase. The first step of the process involved the hydrolysis of titanium isopropoxide in a basic aqueous solution mediated by neutral surfactant. The solid product obtained from step 1 was then treated in an acidified ethanol solution containing the same titanium precursor to thicken the pore walls. Low pH and higher loading of the Ti precursor in step 2 produced better mesoporosity and crystallinity of titanium dioxide polymorphs. The resultant powder exhibited a high surface area (73.8 m(2)/g) and large pore volume (0.17 cm(3)/g) with uniform mesopores. These materials are envisaged to be used as precursors for mesoporous titania films as a wide band gap semiconductor in dye-sensitized nanocrystalline TiO2 solar cells.