biostudies-literatureYu DNational Natural Science Foundation of China2307-2314https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC8693676biostudies-literatureUnknown11(4)Highly efficient TiO<sub>2</sub> photoanodes can be achieved by enhancing electrical conductivity and improving charge separation and transfer. In this paper, Ti foils were used to fabricate TiO<sub>2</sub> nanotubes by anodic oxidation and ZnO/two-layer self-doped black TiO<sub>2</sub> nanotubes were prepared by electrochemical reduction and a hydrothermal method. The formed black TiO<sub>2</sub> nanotubes have a better photoconversion efficiency and the maximum photoconversion efficiency increased by 59% compared with the pure nanotubes. The deposition of ZnO further improves the maximum photoconversion efficiency to 456% based on black TiO<sub>2</sub>. The photocurrent responses also increase by about 5 times in our results. This work is instructive for the development of highly robust RSC advancesPreparation of ZnO/two-layer self-doped black TiO<sub>2</sub> nanotube arrays and their enhanced photochemical properties.PMC869367611874185Zhang YWang FYu DDai JfalsePreparation of ZnO/two-layer self-doped black TiO<sub>2</sub> nanotube arrays and their enhanced photochemical properties.Highly efficient TiO<sub>2</sub> photoanodes can be achieved by enhancing electrical conductivity and improving charge separation and transfer. In this paper, Ti foils were used to fabricate TiO<sub>2</sub> nanotubes by anodic oxidation and ZnO/two-layer self-doped black TiO<sub>2</sub> nanotubes were prepared by electrochemical reduction and a hydrothermal method. The formed black TiO<sub>2</sub> nanotubes have a better photoconversion efficiency and the maximum photoconversion efficiency increased by 59% compared with the pure nanotubes. The deposition of ZnO further improves the maximum photoconversion efficiency to 456% based on black TiO<sub>2</sub>. The photocurrent responses also increase by about 5 times in our results. This work is instructive for the development of highly robust 2021-01-01T00:00:00Z2021 Jan2025-04-25T22:55:36.157Z2025-04-06T09:14:28.967ZS-EPMC86936763542415510.1039/d0ra09099a