A bi-functional nanocrystalline TiO2 (nc-TiO2) layer able to offer both light-scattering and electron generating properties was prepared with a simple method through adding the basic NH3 center dot H2O agent into an acid nc-TiO2 paste to form some big rod-like nc-TiO2 aggregates by the chemical sintering process. The influence of additional amount of NH3 center dot H2O on the photovoltaic performance of the dye-sensitized solar cell with this hi-functional nc-TiO2 layer in the photoelectrode was studied. It was found that through controlling the additional amount of NH3 center dot H2O and the thickness of the hi-functional nc-TiO2 layer, the highest energy conversion efficiency about 8.11% could be obtained, which was much higher than that of the dye-sensitized solar cell containing a single nc-TiO2 layer prepared with the original acid nc-TiO2 paste (4.34%). (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.