Review Nanostructured thin films based on TiO 2 and/or SiC for use in photoelectrochemical cells: A review of the material characteristics, synthesis and recent applications R.S. Pessoa a,c,n , M.A. Fraga b,c , L.V. Santos a,c , M. Massi c,d , H.S. Maciel a,c a IP&D, University of Paraiba Valley (Univap), São José dos Campos, SP 12244-000, Brazil b Faculty of Technology of São Paulo, São Paulo, SP 01124-060, Brazil c Technological Institute of Aeronautics (ITA-DCTA), São José dos Campos, SP 12228-900, Brazil d Federal University of São Paulo – ICT, São José dos Campos, SP 12.231-280, Brazil article info Available online 10 June 2014 Keywords: Nanotechnology Titanium dioxide Silicon carbide Photocatalysis DSSC Water splitting abstract In solar energy harvesting research, there is growing interest in the study of photoelec- trochemical (PEC) properties of the following classes of semiconductor materials: metal oxides and silicon-based compounds. The motivation is that such materials are being successfully used as photoelectrode in PEC cells. Special attention has been given to the wide band gap materials. This review discusses, from the material science perspective, the recent literature relating to two wide band gap semiconductor materials: one metal oxide, titanium dioxide (TiO 2 ), and one silicon-based compound, silicon carbide (SiC). Emphasis is placed on TiO 2 and SiC thin films for PEC applications. Materials characteristics, synthesis methods and recent photocatalytic applications are presented. Finally, the interesting effect of the efficiency increase of PEC devices developed from a hetero- junction of TiO 2 and SiC is discussed. & 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. Contents 1. Introduction ............................................................................................ 57 2. Basics about photoelectrochemical cells: main mechanisms and requirements....................................... 58 3. Titanium dioxide: characteristics, doping and synthesis processes................................................. 59 3.1. Structure, optical and electronic properties ............................................................. 59 3.2. Doping of TiO 2 with transition metals and non-metals elements ............................................ 60 3.3. Synthesis of nanostructured TiO 2 thin films ............................................................ 61 4. Silicon carbide: characteristics, synthesis and applications in solar energy harvesting ................................. 63 4.1. Structure, optical/electronic properties and PEC applications ............................................... 63 Contents lists available at ScienceDirect journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/mssp Materials Science in Semiconductor Processing http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.mssp.2014.05.053 1369-8001/& 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. n Corresponding author at: IP&D, University of Paraiba Valley (Univap), São José dos Campos, Av. Shishima Hifumi, 2911, Urbanova, SP 12244-000, Brazil. Tel.: þ55 12 3947 1117. E-mail address: rspessoa@univap.br (R.S. Pessoa). Materials Science in Semiconductor Processing 29 (2015) 56–68