Bicomponent transition metal oxide photoelectrodes

A comparative analysis of photoresponse characteristics of single component photoelectrodes of WO3 and TiO2 and bicomponent WO3/TiO2 photoelectrode was performed for front and back side illumination of the films sensitized by rhodamine B and 3,3'-diethyl-9-methylthiacarbocyanine iodide. A considerable increase in the photocurrent was achieved for the bicomponent photoelectrodes in comparison with the single component photoelectrodes. Increased photocurrent was caused by a decreasing in the surface recombination of the photoinjected electrons due to an efficient removal of the electrons from the conduction band of the TiO2 nanocrystals into the bulk of the WO3 matrix-layer.