The photoelectrochemical behaviors of the NiO nanostructured porous film sensitized by cyanine dye were investigated. The results showed that the excited state level of cyanine dye matched the conduction band edge of NiO nanoparticle. Therefore the sensitization of this dye can obviously increase the photocurrent intensity of NiO nanostructured electrode and result in a red-shift of the optical absorption from the ultra-violet region to the visible one. The cells composed of OTE/TiO~2/Ru(bpy)~2(SCN)~2 (photoanodic electrode) and OTE/NiO/PMC (photocathodic electrode) were studied. The result showed that the open-circuit voltage became larger, but the short-circuit photocurrent was controlled by low-photocurrent electrode.

Key words: DYES, SENSITIZATION, PHOTO-ELECTROCHEMISTRY, BATTERIES, NICKEL OXIDE