Electrospun anatase TiO2 nanorods for flexible optoelectronic devices

Abstract

Titanium dioxide (TiO₂) nanorods with anatase phase were successfully fabricated by electrospinning and followed calcination. The TiO₂ nanorods were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) and UV-visible spectroscopy. The diameter of the TiO₂ nanorods was about 60–150 nm and the length was 200 nm–2 μm. Electrical properties under bending were investigated by fixing the device to a curved surface with different curvatures, and the device showed a fast and stable resistance response to curvature changing. Photoelectric properties were studied by irradiation with different light intensities. The device exhibited a short response time (∼10 s) and a high sensitivity (∼10³) which increased with the light intensity increasing. These results indicate that electrospun anatase TiO₂ nanorods have potential applications in flexible photodetectors and solar cells.