In the first step, a layer of ZnO seeds was deposited MCC950 supplier onto weaved titanium wires by dipping the mesh in an alcohol solution containing 0.02 M zinc acetate dihydrate and 0.02 M lithium hydroxide, followed by annealing in a furnace at 400°C for 1 h. Then, the seeded substrate was placed into a glass bottle which contains an aqueous solution with 0.2 M of zinc nitrate and 1 M of urea. In the second step, the hydrothermal growth was conducted by heating the solution to 90°C

for 12 h. After the hydrothermal treatment, the resultant nanostructure was rinsed with deionized water thoroughly and then annealed at 450°C for 1 h to remove any residual organics and convert into ZnO nanosheets. Deposition of CdS nanoparticles with successive ionic layer adsorption and reaction method CdS nanoparticles were deposited onto the ZnO nanosheet surface by SILAR method. Solutions of 0.05 M cadmium nitrate (Cd(NO3)2) and 0.05 M sodium sulfide (Na2S) were prepared by dissolving Cd(NO3)2 in deionized water and Na2S in methanol/water with volume ratios of 1:1. In a typical SILAR cycle, weaved titanium wire substrate, pre-grown Anlotinib concentration with ZnO nanosheet arrays, was dipped into the Cd(NO3)2 aqueous solution for 30 s, rinsed in water, then dipped into the Na2S solution for another 30 s,

and rinsed again in ethanol. This entire SILAR process was repeated to achieve the desired thickness of CdS nanoparticles. After the synthesis, the CdS/ZnO/Ti substrate was carefully washed in deionized water and dried at 100°C. Characterization The morphologies

of the ZnO/Ti and CdS/ZnO/Ti nanostructures were examined using a field-emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM; FEI Sirion, FEI Company, Hillsboro, OR, USA). The crystal structures CYTH4 of ZnO/Ti and CdS/ZnO/Ti were examined by X-ray diffraction (XRD; XD-3, PG Instruments Ltd., Beijing, China) with Cu Kα radiation (λ = 0.154 nm) at a scan rate of 2°/min. X-ray tube voltage and current were set at 40 kV and 30 mA, respectively. The optical transmission spectra were obtained using a dual-beam UV-visible spectrometer (TU-1900, PG Instruments Ltd., Beijing, China). Solar cell assembly and performance measurement The schematic structure of the nanostructured solar cell is shown in Figure 1. The solar cell was assembled using the CdS/ZnO/Ti nanostructure as the photoanode and a platinum-coated FTO glass as the counter electrode. The counter electrode was prepared by spin coating a solution of H2PtCl6 (0.01 M) in isopropyl alcohol on FTO glass and subsequently annealed it at 500°C for 30 min. A 60-μm-thick sealing material (SX-1170-60, Solaronix SA, Aubonne, Switzerland) with a 4 × 4 mm2 aperture was sandwiched between the titanium mesh substrate and the counter electrode to prevent electrical shorts. A polysulfide electrolyte was injected into the space between the two electrodes. The polysulfide electrolyte was composed of 1 M sulfur, 1 M Na2S, and 0.