A novel titanium oxide paste based on Pechini sol-gel method and nanocrystalline titanium oxide powder have been successfully developed. Titanium oxide layers possess high inner surface area assuring high dye loading and well-connected nanocrystalline grains assuring good electron transport within the layer. The dye-sensitized layers have been used to assemble dye-sensitized solar cells with acetonitrile- and ionic liquid-based electrolyte. Overall conversion efficiencies of dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) determined under standard test conditions (100 mW/cm(2), 25 degrees C and AM 1.5 G) are 10.2% for acetonitrile and 7.3% for ionic liquid-based electrolyte. (C) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.