Low-temperature electrodeposition approach leading to robust mesoscopic anatase TiO2 films

Abstract

Anatase TiO2, a wide bandgap semiconductor, likely the most worldwide studied inorganic material for many practical applications, offers unequal characteristics for applications in photocatalysis and sun energy conversion. However, the lack of controllable, cost-effective methods for scalable fabrication of homogeneous thin films of anatase TiO2 at low temperatures (ie. < 100 °C) renders up-to-date deposition processes unsuited to flexible plastic supports or to smart textile fibres, thus limiting these wearable and easy-to-integrate emerging technologies. Here, we present a very versatile template-free method for producing robust mesoporous films of nanocrystalline anatase TiO2 at temperatures of/or below 80 °C. The individual assembly of the mesoscopic particles forming ever-demonstrated high optical quality beads of TiO2 affords, with this simple methodology, efficient light capture and confinement into the photo-anode, which in flexible dye-sensitized solar cell technology translates into a remarkable power conversion efficiency of 7.2% under A.M.1.5G conditions.

An amorphous dual action electrocatalyst based on oxygen doped cobalt sulfide for the hydrogen and oxygen evolution reactions

“…66 It also has a number of freedom parameters to tune the composition, morphology and density of active sites which is another major advantage. [67][68][69][70][71][72][73] Recent theoretical work by Kornienko et al suggested that amorphous CoS x where oxygen is incorporated into the material is also a candidate for the HER. 57 Shanmugam et al have reported that electrodeposited nickel iron sulphides on nickel foam 74 and hydrothermally grown NiCo 2 S 4 nanowires on nickel foam 75 show bifunctional activity for the HER and the OER.…”

Tuning the porosity and surface characteristics of nanoporous titania using non-ionic surfactant reverse micelles

“…[1][2][3][4] Moreover, titania is expected to play a key role in a number of high-impact elds, such as energy production and clean technologies. 5 In this context, the preparation of mesoporous TiO 2 materials with a high surface area and controlled pore size is of particular interest.…”

Recent advances in ultra-low temperature (sub-zero to 100 °C) synthesis, mechanism and applications of titania (TiO2) nanoparticles

“…TiO 2 synthesis methods include physical (sol-gel, micelle, vapor deposition), chemical (sonochemical), electrical (electrodeposition), and thermal (hydrothermal, solvothermal, microwave). 39,50,98,103 Process parameters of synthesis such as additives, temperature, ageing, acidity, and solvent determine the size, phase and structure of TiO 2 nanomaterials. 90 The largescale synthesis of TiO 2 under high acidic/basic conditions and also at high temperatures is usually accompanied by undesirable phase transformations that confine the wide applicability of this material.…”