A p-type NiO film was prepared by doctor-blading of Ni(OH)(2) paste onto FTO glass, followed by sintering at 450 degrees C for 30 min. The influence of nucleation condition of Ni(OH)(2) on the morphology of NiO films and consequently charge transporting behavior is investigated. A smooth and compact NiO film is obtained with smaller Ni(OH)(2) sol-gel particle size, which is confirmed by the surface topography examination. The hole transporting ability of NiO semiconductor is enhanced with such a compact film because of better interconnection between particles, as evidenced from electrochemical impedance analysis. The NiO film obtained is employed as the photocathode in p-type dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) using arylamine-based dyes. The short-circuit photocurrent is two times improved to ca. 2.0 mA cm(-2) compared to rough films. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.