Photoelectrical Properties of TiO2 Nanorods with an Array-cluster Double-layered Structure

Titanium oxysulfate (TiOSO4) was used as an inorganic titanium precursor to synthesize TiO2 nanorods on a transparent, conductive fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) substrate by a facile hydrothermal process. The TiO2 nanorod film was rutile phase and exhibited an array-cluster double-layered structure. Under the illumination of a solar simulator, the short-circuit photocurrent density of TiO2 nanorods maximized at 0.17 mA/cm2, which was over twice that of samples originating from organic titanium isopropoxide ［Ti(iPro)4］ under the same conditions. Multi-dimensional structure and the participation of inorganic oxysulfate (OSO4-4) anion contribute to the enhanced photocurrent response of TiO2 nanorod films