TiO2 as a Low Cost, Multi Functional Material

TiO 2 is a technologically important, naturally occurring, low cost material used in energy, environmental, health and many other applications. This paper reports the possibility of using commercial TiO 2 in several different applications. The efficiency of a silver nanoparticle incorporated TiO 2 dye sensitized solar cell increased by 27% evidently due to the plasmonic effect. In a dye sensitized solar cell when nanopowder TiO 2 photoanode was replaced by a composite TiO 2 photoanode containing TiO 2 nanopowder and TiO 2 nanofibres, the cell efficiency enhanced by more than 30%. In an electrochromic device of configuration, FTO glass/TiO 2 /Poly (methylmethacrylate) electrolyte/SnO 2 /FTO glass, an impressive reversible colour change was observed. Mg rechargeable battery fabricated with a TiO 2 cathode exhibited a discharge capacity of 220 mAh g -1 showing that Mg ++ can be reversibly intercalated in to the TiO 2 structure. An electrospun nanofibre membrane prepared from a biodegradable polymer and functionalized with TiO 2 nano powder was capable of removing arsenic (As) from drinking water efficiently.