New Materials for Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells: Recent Advances, Efficiency Enhancements, and Future Prospects

Seungho Shin

doi:10.35745/afm2025v05.03.0013

Research Article

New Materials for Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells: Recent Advances, Efficiency Enhancements, and Future Prospects

Seungho Shin ¹ ^*

More Detail

¹ Mountain Cherry Academy, Yongin-si 16916, Korea^* Corresponding Author

Applied Functional Materials, 5(3), September 2025, 17-22, https://doi.org/10.35745/afm2025v05.03.0013

Submitted: 20 July 2025, Published: 30 September 2025

OPEN ACCESS 61 Views 8 Downloads

Download Full Text (PDF)

ABSTRACT

Dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) represent a promising third-generation photovoltaic cell. Due to their low cost, ease of fabrication, and flexible and transparent applications, DSSCs have been researched extensively. In this review, the development of materials used in DSSCs is examined. Recent innovations in photoanodes, sensitizers, electrolytes, and counter electrodes show that the properties of materials influence the power conversion efficiency (PCE), stability, and scalability of DSSCs. Various material combinations and their effects on the performance of DSSCs are compared, highlighting the research focus on solid-state and organic materials. Device architecture and nanotechnology contribute to the optimization of the DSSC’s performance. It is necessary to enhance commercial viability so that DSSCs can be more widely used in building-integrated photovoltaics, wearable electronics, and energy-autonomous systems.

Keywords: DSSC, New materials, Solar cell, Photovoltaic, PCE, Dye

CITATION (APA)

Shin, S. (2025). New Materials for Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells: Recent Advances, Efficiency Enhancements, and Future Prospects. Applied Functional Materials, 5(3), 17-22. https://doi.org/10.35745/afm2025v05.03.0013

REFERENCES

O’Regan, B.; Grätzel, M. A low-cost, high-efficiency solar cell based on dye-sensitized colloidal TiO₂ films. Nature 1991, 353, 737–740.
Kokkonen, M.; Talebi, P.; Zhou, J.; Asgari, S.; Soomro, S.A.A.; Elsehrawy, F.; Halme, J.; Ahmad, S.; Hagfeldt, A.; Hashmi, G. Advanced research trends in dye-sensitized solar cells. J. Mater. Chem. A 2021, 9, 10527–10545.
Mahmood, A. Recent research progress on quasi-solid-state electrolytes for dye-sensitized solar cells. Journal of Energy Chemistry 2015, 24, 686–692
Robertson, N.; Optimizing dyes for dye-sensitized solar cells. Angewandte Chemie International Edition 2006, 45, 2338−2345.
Kay, A.; Grätzel, M. Low cost photovoltaic modules based on dye sensitized nanocrystalline titanium dioxide and carbon powder. Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells 1996, 44, 99–117.
Abrari, M.; Ahmadi, M.; Ghanaatshoar, M.; Moazami, H.; Hosseiny D.; Saied, S. Fabrication of dye-sensitized solar cells based on SnO₂/ZnO composite nanostructures: A new facile method using dual anodic dissolution. Journal of Alloys and Compounds 2019. 784, 1036–1046.
Kakiage, K.; Aoyama, Y.; Yano, T.; Oya, K.; Fujisawa, J.-I.; Hanaya, M. Highly-efficient dye-sensitized solar cells with collaborative sensitization by silyl-anchor and carboxy-anchor dyes. Chemical Communications 2015. 51. 15894−15897.
Mathew, S.; Yella, A.; Gao, P.; Humphry-Baker, R.; Curchod, B. F. E.; Ashari-Astani, N.; Tavernelli, I.; Rothlisberger, U.; Nazeeruddin, K.; Grätzel, M. Dye-sensitized solar cells with 13% efficiency achieved through the molecular engineering of porphyrin sensitizers. Nature Chemistry 2014, 6, 242–247.
Grätzel, M. Photoelectrochemical cells. Nature 2001, 414, 338–344.
Li, B.; Wang, L.; Kang, B.; Wang, P.; Qiu, Y. Review of recent progress in solid-state dye-sensitized solar cells. Sol. Energy Mater. Sol. Cells 2006, 90, 549–573.
Hagfeldt, A.; Grätzel, M. Molecular photovoltaics. Accounts of Chemical Research. 2000, 33, 269–277.
Han, T.-H.; Kim, H.; Kwon, S.-J.; Lee, T.-W. Graphene-based flexible electronic devices. Mater. Sci. Eng. R Rep. 2017, 118, 1–43.
Shiraz, H. G,; Crispin, X.; Berggren, M. Transition metal sulfides for electrochemical hydrogen evolution. International Journal of Hydrogen Energy 2021, 46, 24060−24077.
Raisa, A. T.; Sakib, S. N.; Hossain, M. J.; Rocky, K. A.; Kowsar, A. Advances in multijunction solar cells: An overview. Solar Energy Advances 2025, 5, 100105
Sum, T. C; Mathews, N. Advancements in perovskite solar cells: Photophysics behind the photovoltaics. Energy & Environmental Science 2014, 7, 2518–2534.
Hug, H.; Bader, M.; Mair. P.; Glatzel, T. Biophotovoltaics: Natural pigments in dye-sensitized solar cells. Applied Energy 2014, 115, 216–225.
Ward, L.; Dunn, A.; Faghaninia, A.; Zimmermann, N. E. R.; Bajaj, S.; Wang, Q.; Montoya, J.; Chen, J.; Bystrom, K.; Dylla, M.; Chard, K.; Asta, M.; Persson, K. A.; Snyder, G. J.; Foster, I.; Jain, A. Matminer: An open source toolkit for materials data mining. Computational Materials Science 2018, 152, 60–69.
Maddah, H. A. Machine learning analysis on performance of naturally-sensitized solar cells. Optical Materials, 2022, 128, 112343.
Kumar, D. K.; Swami, S. K.; Dutta, V.; Chen, B.; Bennett, N.; Upadhyaya, H.M. Scalable screen-printing manufacturing process for graphene oxide platinum free alternative counter electrodes in efficient dye sensitized solar cells. FlatChem 2019, 15, 100105.
Barberio, M.; Imbrogno, A.; Grosso, D. R.; Bonanno, A.; Xu, F. Low-cost carbon-based counter electrodes for dye sensitized solar cells. Materials Research Express 2015, 2, 075502.
Prajapat, K.; Mahajan, U.; Sahu, K.; Dhonde, M.; Shirage, P.M. The evolution of natural dye-sensitized solar cells: Current advances and future outlook. Sol. Energy 2024, 284, 113081.
Cao, M.; Ji, W.; Chao, C.; Li, J.; Dai, F.; Fan, X. Recent Advances in UV-Cured Encapsulation for Stable and Durable Perovskite Solar Cell Devices. Polymers 2023, 15, 3911.
Wooh, S.; Kim, T.-Y.; Song, D.; Lee, Y.-G.; Lee, T.K.; Bergmann, V. W.; Weber, S. A. L.; Bisquert, J.; Kang, Y. S.; Char, K. Surface Modification of TiO₂ Photoanodes with Fluorinated Self-Assembled Monolayers for Highly Efficient Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells. ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces 2015, 7, 25741–25747
Ibrayeva, A.; Imanbekova, Z.; Abibulla, U.; Tashnov, Y.; Baptayev, B.; Bslanay, M.P. Enhancing the stability and efficiency of dye-sensitized solar cells with MIL-125 metal-organic framework as an electrolyte additive. Sci. Rep. 2025, 15, 5833.

[1] O’Regan, B.; Grätzel, M. A low-cost, high-efficiency solar cell based on dye-sensitized colloidal TiO₂ films. Nature 1991, 353, 737–740.

[2] Kokkonen, M.; Talebi, P.; Zhou, J.; Asgari, S.; Soomro, S.A.A.; Elsehrawy, F.; Halme, J.; Ahmad, S.; Hagfeldt, A.; Hashmi, G. Advanced research trends in dye-sensitized solar cells. J. Mater. Chem. A 2021, 9, 10527–10545.

[3] Mahmood, A. Recent research progress on quasi-solid-state electrolytes for dye-sensitized solar cells. Journal of Energy Chemistry 2015, 24, 686–692

[4] Robertson, N.; Optimizing dyes for dye-sensitized solar cells. Angewandte Chemie International Edition 2006, 45, 2338−2345.

[5] Kay, A.; Grätzel, M. Low cost photovoltaic modules based on dye sensitized nanocrystalline titanium dioxide and carbon powder. Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells 1996, 44, 99–117.

[6] Abrari, M.; Ahmadi, M.; Ghanaatshoar, M.; Moazami, H.; Hosseiny D.; Saied, S. Fabrication of dye-sensitized solar cells based on SnO₂/ZnO composite nanostructures: A new facile method using dual anodic dissolution. Journal of Alloys and Compounds 2019. 784, 1036–1046.

[7] Kakiage, K.; Aoyama, Y.; Yano, T.; Oya, K.; Fujisawa, J.-I.; Hanaya, M. Highly-efficient dye-sensitized solar cells with collaborative sensitization by silyl-anchor and carboxy-anchor dyes. Chemical Communications 2015. 51. 15894−15897.

[8] Mathew, S.; Yella, A.; Gao, P.; Humphry-Baker, R.; Curchod, B. F. E.; Ashari-Astani, N.; Tavernelli, I.; Rothlisberger, U.; Nazeeruddin, K.; Grätzel, M. Dye-sensitized solar cells with 13% efficiency achieved through the molecular engineering of porphyrin sensitizers. Nature Chemistry 2014, 6, 242–247.

[9] Grätzel, M. Photoelectrochemical cells. Nature 2001, 414, 338–344.

[10] Li, B.; Wang, L.; Kang, B.; Wang, P.; Qiu, Y. Review of recent progress in solid-state dye-sensitized solar cells. Sol. Energy Mater. Sol. Cells 2006, 90, 549–573.

[11] Hagfeldt, A.; Grätzel, M. Molecular photovoltaics. Accounts of Chemical Research. 2000, 33, 269–277.

[12] Han, T.-H.; Kim, H.; Kwon, S.-J.; Lee, T.-W. Graphene-based flexible electronic devices. Mater. Sci. Eng. R Rep. 2017, 118, 1–43.

[13] Shiraz, H. G,; Crispin, X.; Berggren, M. Transition metal sulfides for electrochemical hydrogen evolution. International Journal of Hydrogen Energy 2021, 46, 24060−24077.

[14] Raisa, A. T.; Sakib, S. N.; Hossain, M. J.; Rocky, K. A.; Kowsar, A. Advances in multijunction solar cells: An overview. Solar Energy Advances 2025, 5, 100105

[15] Sum, T. C; Mathews, N. Advancements in perovskite solar cells: Photophysics behind the photovoltaics. Energy & Environmental Science 2014, 7, 2518–2534.

[16] Hug, H.; Bader, M.; Mair. P.; Glatzel, T. Biophotovoltaics: Natural pigments in dye-sensitized solar cells. Applied Energy 2014, 115, 216–225.

[17] Ward, L.; Dunn, A.; Faghaninia, A.; Zimmermann, N. E. R.; Bajaj, S.; Wang, Q.; Montoya, J.; Chen, J.; Bystrom, K.; Dylla, M.; Chard, K.; Asta, M.; Persson, K. A.; Snyder, G. J.; Foster, I.; Jain, A. Matminer: An open source toolkit for materials data mining. Computational Materials Science 2018, 152, 60–69.

[18] Maddah, H. A. Machine learning analysis on performance of naturally-sensitized solar cells. Optical Materials, 2022, 128, 112343.

[19] Kumar, D. K.; Swami, S. K.; Dutta, V.; Chen, B.; Bennett, N.; Upadhyaya, H.M. Scalable screen-printing manufacturing process for graphene oxide platinum free alternative counter electrodes in efficient dye sensitized solar cells. FlatChem 2019, 15, 100105.

[20] Barberio, M.; Imbrogno, A.; Grosso, D. R.; Bonanno, A.; Xu, F. Low-cost carbon-based counter electrodes for dye sensitized solar cells. Materials Research Express 2015, 2, 075502.

[21] Prajapat, K.; Mahajan, U.; Sahu, K.; Dhonde, M.; Shirage, P.M. The evolution of natural dye-sensitized solar cells: Current advances and future outlook. Sol. Energy 2024, 284, 113081.

[22] Cao, M.; Ji, W.; Chao, C.; Li, J.; Dai, F.; Fan, X. Recent Advances in UV-Cured Encapsulation for Stable and Durable Perovskite Solar Cell Devices. Polymers 2023, 15, 3911.

[23] Wooh, S.; Kim, T.-Y.; Song, D.; Lee, Y.-G.; Lee, T.K.; Bergmann, V. W.; Weber, S. A. L.; Bisquert, J.; Kang, Y. S.; Char, K. Surface Modification of TiO₂ Photoanodes with Fluorinated Self-Assembled Monolayers for Highly Efficient Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells. ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces 2015, 7, 25741–25747

[24] Ibrayeva, A.; Imanbekova, Z.; Abibulla, U.; Tashnov, Y.; Baptayev, B.; Bslanay, M.P. Enhancing the stability and efficiency of dye-sensitized solar cells with MIL-125 metal-organic framework as an electrolyte additive. Sci. Rep. 2025, 15, 5833.