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Review
. 2018 Nov 28;13(1):381.
doi: 10.1186/s11671-018-2760-6.

Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells: Fundamentals and Current Status

Khushboo Sharma  1 , Vinay Sharma  2 , S S Sharma  3
Affiliations
Review

Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells: Fundamentals and Current Status

Khushboo Sharma et al. Nanoscale Res Lett. .

Abstract

Dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) belong to the group of thin-film solar cells which have been under extensive research for more than two decades due to their low cost, simple preparation methodology, low toxicity and ease of production. Still, there is lot of scope for the replacement of current DSSC materials due to their high cost, less abundance, and long-term stability. The efficiency of existing DSSCs reaches up to 12%, using Ru(II) dyes by optimizing material and structural properties which is still less than the efficiency offered by first- and second-generation solar cells, i.e., other thin-film solar cells and Si-based solar cells which offer ~ 20-30% efficiency. This article provides an in-depth review on DSSC construction, operating principle, key problems (low efficiency, low scalability, and low stability), prospective efficient materials, and finally a brief insight to commercialization.

Keywords: Counter electrode; Dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs); Efficiency; Electrolytes; Metal and metal-free organic dyes; Photoanode; Stability.

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Conflict of interest statement

Authors’ Information

Khushboo Sharma is a Research Scholar in Physics at Bhagwant University, Ajmer, India, and currently working in the field of dye-sensitized solar cells. She did her Master’s degree in 2013 from MDS University, Ajmer, India. She had been working as a project fellow for project on “Development of New Materials for Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells” of Department of Science and Technology, SERB Division, New Delhi at Government Women Engineering College, Ajmer, India.

Vinay kumar Sharma did his M. Tech in Material Science from the Centre for Converging Technologies, University of Rajasthan, Jaipur, India. Presently, he is working at the School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore. Vinay does his research in Materials Physics, Solid State Physics and Materials Science. His current project is on “Magnetocaloric effect in iron based systems”.

Shyam S. Sharma is a faculty in Physics at the Govt. Women Engineering College, Ajmer, India. He obtained his Ph.D. in 2010 at the University of Rajasthan, Jaipur, India, in the field of Organic Solar Cells. His research interest is in the area of organic semiconductor materials and devices for electronic and optoelectronic technology. He has about 50 scientific publications in international journals and proceedings of international and national conferences, and has published a book on Synthesis and characterization of organic photovoltaic cells. He has been honored for his research work with an Innovative Engineer Award from United Engineers Council. He is a life member of the Indian Physics Association (IPA), Indian Association of Physics Teacher (IAPT), Material Research Society of India (MRSI), and The Indian Science Congress Association. He is also associated with the Material Research Society of Singapore, Synchrotron Radiation Center, Italy, and UGC-DAE CSR, Indore. Presently, he is the Chief Coordinator of the World Bank funded project TEQIP (Technical Education Quality Improvement Programme) Phase-III in his institute.

Competing Interests

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

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Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
The performance of dye PV modules increases with temperature, contrary to Si-based modules [(Web reference [available online at http://www.sta.com.au/downloads/DSC%20Booklet.pdf] [11, 12]
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Construction and working principle of the dye-sensitized nanocrystalline solar cells
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
I–V curve to evaluate the cells performance
Fig. 4
Fig. 4
SEM images of a P25 film, b 1 wt% graphite-P25 composite film, and (c) the cross section of P25 film on FTO [69]
Fig. 5
Fig. 5
Optical transmittance of platinum-based films (Pt nanoparticles, Pt thermal decomposition, Pt sputtered) deposited onto FTO glass [82]
Fig. 6
Fig. 6
Characteristic J–V curves of DSSCs using different metal nitrides and Pt counter electrodes, measured under simulated sunlight at 100 mWcm− 2 (AM 1.5) [85]
Fig. 7
Fig. 7
The a current density–voltage (J–V) and b incident monochromatic photon-to-current conversion efficiency (IPCE) curves of DSSCs using various Cu2O CE [102]
Fig. 8
Fig. 8
Nyquist plots of the Device_FTO and Device_Mo. The inset indicates an equivalent circuit model used for the devices [103]
Fig. 9
Fig. 9
Raman spectra of mangosteen peel carbon [104]
Fig. 10
Fig. 10
Polarization curves of DSSCs with various electrolytes under simulated AM 1.5 global sunlight (1 sun, 100 mWcm−2) [138]
Fig. 11
Fig. 11
UV-vis spectroscopy selected pyridinium and imidazolium salts. The inset is the IPCE data for the cells with EC3ImI and EC6PI, which are the best cells among each series [141]
Fig. 12
Fig. 12
Molecular structure of Ruthenium complex based dye sensitizers
Fig. 13
Fig. 13
Molecular structure of C101 and Z991 sensitizers
Fig. 14
Fig. 14
Effect of dye protonation on photocurrent-voltage characteristics of nanocrystalline TiO2 cell sensitized with N3 (4 protons), N719 (2 protons), N3[TBA]3 (1 proton), and N712 (0 protons) dyes, measured under AM 1.5 sun using 1 cm2 TiO2 electrodes with an I−/I3− redox couple in methoxyacetonitrile [156]
Fig. 15
Fig. 15
Photocurrent action spectra obtained with the N3 (ligand L) and the black dye (ligand L_) as sensitizer. The photocurrent response of bare TiO2 films is also shown for comparison [26]
Fig. 16
Fig. 16
Molecular Structure of metal-free organic dyes
Fig. 17
Fig. 17
Absorption spectra of 2TPA, TPA-R, and 2TPA-R in CH2Cl2 solutions [184]
Fig. 18
Fig. 18
Molecular structure of a Coumarin and b indole
Fig. 19
Fig. 19
HOMO and LUMO energy level diagram of dyes IK 3–6 [230]
Fig. 20
Fig. 20
Energy level diagram of LG-11 to LG-14 porphyrins, electrolyte and TiO2 (a) and absorption (left, solid line) and emission (right, dashed line) spectra of porphyrin sensitizers LG-13 and LG-14 in the THF solvent (b)
Fig. 21
Fig. 21
Molecular structures of LD porphyrins
Fig. 22
Fig. 22
UV-vis spectra and in insert Q-band magnification for CPI, CPICu, and CPIZn incorporated into the TiO2 films [237]
Fig. 23
Fig. 23
Chemical structures of a anthocyanin, b flavonoid, c β,β-carotene, and d chlorophyll
Fig. 24
Fig. 24
IPCE of mixed pigment and single pigments, where single pigment were Eosin Y, D131, and D358 and mixed pigments were D358 and Eosin Y; D358 and D131; D131 and Eosin Y [311]
Fig. 25
Fig. 25
a Nyquist plots obtained from the EIS of DSSCs with varying Ag@SiO2 content (inset shows the equivalent circuit). b R2 ohm with respect to the Ag@SiO2 NPs content [313]
Fig. 26
Fig. 26
SEM images of a CdS/CdSe and b CdS/Mn:CdSe QD sensitization on TiO2 surface. c TEM image of CdS/Mn:CdSe QDs [318]
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