Synthesis and characterization of Nb 2 O 5 mesostructures with tunable morphology and their application in dye-sensitized solar cells
Mesoporous submicrometric particles of orthorhombic Nb2O5 were prepared by a very simple route
consisting in the hydrolysis of niobium ethoxide Nb(OEt)5 in an alcoholic medium containing 1-
hexadecylamine as structure-directing agent followed by a hydrothermal treatment. The effects
related to the variation of the length of the aliphatic chain of the alcohol solvent (C2 to C4) and the
ramification of the alcohol (primary, secondary and tertiary), as well as the reactants to solvent ratio