I want to use Ti wire to make fiber shape solar cell. In literature they use an ultra-sonicator to clean Ti wire. Can I use a sonicator for this purpose as I do not have an ultra sonicator available? Thanks.
What frequency does your sonicator use? I don't see a major problem.However Titanium is highly reactive and will oxidise spontaneously in air. How clean do you want to make it and can you tolerate an oxide covering?
You can use a solvent to clean the surface of your Ti wires easily before use for your purpose.
Dear Tony Maine, many thanks for your reply. Actually I just started the literature search on Ti wire based dye sensitized solar cells. I am a bit confused here. Many papers use anodic oxidation to grow TiO2 nanotube on the Ti wire. However, I am planning to grow nanowires using a hydrothermal method. Do I need to do the anodic oxidation for surface activation or I can skip this part?
I assume you're going to use the oxidised surface as a base for dye attachment? If you use two different oxidation methods in series then be sure that this doesn't introduce an electrical discontinuity and raise the internal series impedance of the cell, and reduce its efficiency.
Dear Tony Maine , many thanks for your reply. I am planning to grow nano wire for dye attachment.
Dear Brishty,
welcome,
There is an important rule which one must follow when making fabrication processes. It is so that one has to preserve the work piece far from contamination when transferring it from a process to the following one. So, if you take the finished substrate directly after the formation of the TiO2 nano wires to oxidation apparatus without contaminating it you need not to clean it.
If you store them for a while such that they may be get contaminated by environment, then you have to clean them by a proper solution such as methanol or deionised water. You can agitate the solution with ultrasound generator and even you can warm them up. This all is thought to free the surface from any contamination. You can use sound waves for agitation and this will be more effective as the sound frequency increases.
Most important is to be sure that you made the surface of the wires very clean.
Best wishes
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