A hydrochloric acid treatment was performed to modify the surface of TiO2 nanotube arrays for improving the photovoltaic performance of dye-sensitized solar cells. The microstructural, optical and photovoltaic properties of TiO2 nanotube arrays and the assembled cells were investigated in detail. It was found that HCl treatment does not change the morphology and crystallographic structure of the nanotube arrays, but it results in more hydroxyl groups on the TiO2 surface for dye adsorption and a surface protonation for both an improved dye adsorption and a higher quantum yield of electron injection. A major performance enhancement was found which originated from the remarkable increase in the dye adsorption. A power conversion efficiency of 8.4%, J(SC) of similar to 16.8 mA cm(-2) and V-OC of 0.7 V was observed when the photoanode was treated with a 0.1 M HCl solution. (C) 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.