Approaches to Improve Efficiency of Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells

Questions related to energy development became more and more important every year. Solar radiation is about inexhaustible, environmentally friendly and available source of energy. One of the directions of photonics is to create dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSC), also called Gratzel cells. To date, DSSC efficiency reaches 13%. In addition, they have several advantages: they are made of cheap and environmentally friendly materials and do not require sophisticated equipment to manufacture. Research aimed at improving the efficiency of DSSC does not stop. The main ways of increasing the efficiency are: the selection and modification of the dye used; using of different types of semiconductor nanoparticles and their modification; variation in the method of dye binding to the semiconductor nanoparticles; use of co-adsorbents and co-sensitizers when applying dye; iodide electrolyte replacement, including solid- and gel-type electrolytes. This review focuses on modern advances and research in these areas.