
High photovoltaic efficiency is one of the most important keys to the commercialization of dye sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) in the quickly growing renewable electricity generation market. The heart of the DSSC system is a wide bandgap semiconductor based photoelectrode film that helps to adsorb dye molecules and transport the injected electrons away into the electrical circuit. However, charge recombination, poor light harvesting efficiency and slow electron transport of the nanocrystalline oxide photoelectrode film are major issues in the DSSC's performance. Recently, semiconducting composites based on carbonaceous materials (carbon nanoparticles, carbon nanotubes (CNTs), and graphene) have been shown to be promising materials for the photoelectrode of DSSCs due to their fascinating properties and low cost. After a brief introduction to development of nanocrystalline oxide based films, this Review outlines advancements that have been achieved in the application of carbonaceous‐based materials in the photoelectrode of DSSCs and how these advancements have improved performance. In addition, several of the unsolved issues in this research area are discussed and some important future directions are also highlighted.
1301 Biochemistry, 1500 Chemical Engineering, photovoltaic cells, Genetics and Molecular Biology (miscellaneous), dye‐sensitized solar cell, photoelectrode, dye-sensitized solar cell, Nanotechnology, 3100 Physics and Astronomy, carbon nanotube, Nanoscience & Nanotechnology, carbon particle, Science & Technology, Multidisciplinary, 2500 Materials Science, Progress Reports, graphene, 2701 Medicine (miscellaneous), 620, 2200 Engineering, Chemistry, Physical Sciences
1301 Biochemistry, 1500 Chemical Engineering, photovoltaic cells, Genetics and Molecular Biology (miscellaneous), dye‐sensitized solar cell, photoelectrode, dye-sensitized solar cell, Nanotechnology, 3100 Physics and Astronomy, carbon nanotube, Nanoscience & Nanotechnology, carbon particle, Science & Technology, Multidisciplinary, 2500 Materials Science, Progress Reports, graphene, 2701 Medicine (miscellaneous), 620, 2200 Engineering, Chemistry, Physical Sciences
| selected citations These citations are derived from selected sources. This is an alternative to the "Influence" indicator, which also reflects the overall/total impact of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network (diachronically). | 50 | |
| popularity This indicator reflects the "current" impact/attention (the "hype") of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network. | Top 10% | |
| influence This indicator reflects the overall/total impact of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network (diachronically). | Top 10% | |
| impulse This indicator reflects the initial momentum of an article directly after its publication, based on the underlying citation network. | Top 10% |
