Fast and robust infiltration of functional material inside titania nanotube layers: case study of a chalcogenide glass sensitizer

Abstract

Fast and robust infiltration of anodic TiO2 nanotube layers with a model chalcogenide As3S7 glass via spin-coating is reported for the first time. Effective sensitization leads to a significant visible light photocurrent response. This easy and cheap infiltration method can be extended for deposition of other absorbers into nanotubular layers.

TiO2 Nanotube/Chalcogenide-Based Photoelectrochemical Cell: Nanotube Diameter Dependence Study

“…In general, there are a few ways, how to achieve efficient light harvesting of TiO 2 layers in the visible spectral range by suitable chromophores 5,7,30 : bath deposition, spin-coating, electrodeposition, or atomic layer deposition. In this work we employed spin-coating for an infiltration of crystalline chalcogenide chromophore (Sn-S-Se) within the TiO 2 nanotube layers, as recently reported in literature for amorphous chalcogenide 14 . Since the diameter of nanotubes was scaled down to 21 nm, special requirements on chalcogenides were necessary for infilling such very fine porous scaffold as described in introduction part (solvent selection, etc.).…”

“…Unlike mesoporous TiO 2 supports, ordered nanostructures, such as high aspect ratio selforganized TiO 2 nanotube layers [8][9][10] or epitaxially grown TiO 2 nanorods 11,12 , offer the advantage of directed charge transport and controlled phase separation between donor and acceptor parts of the solar cell and thus they seem very promising for nanoscale solar hybrid technologies 9 . Recently, non-silicon solar cells based on TiO 2 nanotube layers sensitized by organic dyes 8 , perovskites 13 and chalcogenides [14][15][16][17] have been presented. The latter class of materials is comparably more stable under UV light and ambient conditions, which make these materials promising for future generation of solar cell devices.…”

Self-organized Anodic TiO2 Nanotubes: Functionalities and Applications Due to a Secondary Material

“…This is shown in a recent report by Macak and coworkers [20], who demonstrated a robust infiltration of a chalcogenide glass sensitizer into nanotubes by spin-coating of viscous propylamine based solutions with different amounts of dissolved As 3 S 7 glass. By tunning the glass:solvent ratio, the chalcogenide material content inside the tubes could influenced, as depicted in Fig.…”

“…3.1 Nanostructures of TiO 2 with specific shape, properties and applications reasons why TiO 2 nanotubes are extraordinary interesting apart of other non-particulate TiO 2 materials. Their handling is easier, there are (yet) no safety constrains, they can be used as photocatalytic filtration membranes [18], templates for deposition of other materials to create functional structures or to structure materials that cannot be otherwise created in such ordered shape [19,20].…”

Titania Nanotubes by Electrochemical Anodization for Solar Energy Conversion

“…More recently, quantitative infiltration of TiO 2 NTs with the semiconductor compound As 3 S 7 using spin coating from a solution with suitable rheological properties demonstrated efficient extension of absorption in the visible, without however providing quantitative data. 152 An interesting generalization of the QD modification concept to a fuel cell configuration was discussed by Antoniadou et al, 153 who describe photosensitization of TiO 2 by ZnS and CdS QDs in a photoactivated ethanol fuel cell; the cell is sensitive to visible light but the ZnS and CdS are poor catalysts since they are oxidized instead of oxidizing the fuel.…”