In this paper, we present a method for preparing polymer-sensitized photoelectrochemical solar cells (PECs) using water-soluble acetylene polymer photosensitizers and beta-In2S3 nanorods. Since water-soluble acetylene polymers are hydrophilic, they were able to overcome the problems associated with the adhesion of hydrophobic polymers and were well matched with the hydrophilic beta-In2S3 surface. The polymer layers were easily prepared by dipping the beta-In2S3 nanorods films in an aqueous polymer solution, and the resulting polymer-sensitized PECs showed a power conversion efficiency of 1.63% under air mass 1.5 conditions (I = 80 mW/cm(2)). (C) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.