Nanostructured TiO2 and their energy applications-a review

Abstract

Environmental sustainability and reliable energy sources are major challenges facing the world in the 21st century. Ironically, the solution to these taunting problems may lie in something small. Nanomaterials with attractive chemical and physical properties are being explored for potential uses in energy and environmental applications. Nanostructured Titanium dioxide (TiO2) has gained considerable attention in the energy and environment sectors due to their brilliant prospects in photo catalysis, solar cells, environmental pollution treatment and its use in solar water splitting for the production of H2. There are many processing techniques such as; the Sol gel (SG), the hydro-thermal (HT), the solvothermal (ST) and chemical vapor deposition (CVD) which are used in the production of nanostructured TiO2 for the applications stated above. This review aims at examining the general characteristics of nanostructured TiO2 and its application in dye sensitized solar cells, photocatalytic splitting of water and solid state hydrogen storage devices. The analysis is meant to demystify the anxiety associated with the application of nanomaterials in solving everyday challenges in the energy and environmental sectors. © 2006-2013 Asian Research Publishing Network (ARPN).