Stacked-cup carbon nanotubes for photoelectrochemical solar cells

Seeing the light: Stacked-cup carbon nanotubes (SCCNTs) have been electrophoretically deposited on conducting glass electrodes from a suspension in THF by using a dc field (see picture). These SCCNT films undergo charge separation and deliver photocurrent on irradiation with visible light. The photon conversion efficiency of 17 % observed with the SCCNT system is two orders of magnitude greater than those obtained with carbon nanotubes.