Advances on Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells (DSSCs) Nanostructures and Natural Colorants: A Review
Human beings are attempting to take advantage of renewable natural resources by using solar cells. These devices take the sun’s radiation and convert it into electrical energy. The issue with traditional silicon-based solar cells is their manufacturing costs and environmental problems. For this reas...
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| Format: | Article |
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MDPI AG
2021-10-01
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| Series: | Journal of Composites Science |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2504-477X/5/11/288 |
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| author | José A. Castillo-Robles Enrique Rocha-Rangel José A. Ramírez-de-León Frida C. Caballero-Rico Eddie N. Armendáriz-Mireles |
| author_facet | José A. Castillo-Robles Enrique Rocha-Rangel José A. Ramírez-de-León Frida C. Caballero-Rico Eddie N. Armendáriz-Mireles |
| author_sort | José A. Castillo-Robles |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Human beings are attempting to take advantage of renewable natural resources by using solar cells. These devices take the sun’s radiation and convert it into electrical energy. The issue with traditional silicon-based solar cells is their manufacturing costs and environmental problems. For this reason, alternatives have been developed within the solar cell field. One of these alternatives is the dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC), also known as Grätzel solar cells. DSSCs are a type of solar cell that mimics photosynthesis. They have a photoanode, which is formed by a semiconductor film sensitized with a dye. Some of their advantages include low-cost manufacturing, eco-friendly materials use, and suitability for most environments. This review discusses four important aspects, with two related to the dye, which can be natural or synthetic. Herein, only natural dyes and their extraction methods were selected. On the other hand, this paper discusses the nanostructures used for DSSCs, the TiO<sub>2</sub> nanostructure being the most reported; it recently reached an efficiency level of 10.3%. Finally, a review on the novelties in DSSCs technology is presented, where it is observed that the use of Catrin protein (cow brain) shows 1.45% of efficiency, which is significantly lower if compared to Ag nanoparticles doped with graphene that report 9.9% efficiency. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T05:23:56Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-aaacc9ec154f4f5a9cbfd289b2e99572 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2504-477X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T05:23:56Z |
| publishDate | 2021-10-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Composites Science |
| spelling | doaj.art-aaacc9ec154f4f5a9cbfd289b2e995722023-11-22T23:51:52ZengMDPI AGJournal of Composites Science2504-477X2021-10-0151128810.3390/jcs5110288Advances on Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells (DSSCs) Nanostructures and Natural Colorants: A ReviewJosé A. Castillo-Robles0Enrique Rocha-Rangel1José A. Ramírez-de-León2Frida C. Caballero-Rico3Eddie N. Armendáriz-Mireles4Research Department, Universidad Politécnica de Victoria, Ciudad Victoria 87138, Tamaulipas, MexicoResearch Department, Universidad Politécnica de Victoria, Ciudad Victoria 87138, Tamaulipas, MexicoAcademic Unit of Social Work and Sciences for Human Development, Autonomous University of Tamaulipas, Adolfo López Mateos University Center, Victoria City CP 87149, MexicoCenter of Excellence, Autonomous University of Tamaulipas, Adolfo López Mateos University Center, Victoria City CP 87149, MexicoResearch Department, Universidad Politécnica de Victoria, Ciudad Victoria 87138, Tamaulipas, MexicoHuman beings are attempting to take advantage of renewable natural resources by using solar cells. These devices take the sun’s radiation and convert it into electrical energy. The issue with traditional silicon-based solar cells is their manufacturing costs and environmental problems. For this reason, alternatives have been developed within the solar cell field. One of these alternatives is the dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC), also known as Grätzel solar cells. DSSCs are a type of solar cell that mimics photosynthesis. They have a photoanode, which is formed by a semiconductor film sensitized with a dye. Some of their advantages include low-cost manufacturing, eco-friendly materials use, and suitability for most environments. This review discusses four important aspects, with two related to the dye, which can be natural or synthetic. Herein, only natural dyes and their extraction methods were selected. On the other hand, this paper discusses the nanostructures used for DSSCs, the TiO<sub>2</sub> nanostructure being the most reported; it recently reached an efficiency level of 10.3%. Finally, a review on the novelties in DSSCs technology is presented, where it is observed that the use of Catrin protein (cow brain) shows 1.45% of efficiency, which is significantly lower if compared to Ag nanoparticles doped with graphene that report 9.9% efficiency.https://www.mdpi.com/2504-477X/5/11/288renewable energy capture: solar energyDye Sensitized Solar Cells natural dyessolar cellsenergy storagenanostructuresefficiency |
| spellingShingle | José A. Castillo-Robles Enrique Rocha-Rangel José A. Ramírez-de-León Frida C. Caballero-Rico Eddie N. Armendáriz-Mireles Advances on Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells (DSSCs) Nanostructures and Natural Colorants: A Review Journal of Composites Science renewable energy capture: solar energy Dye Sensitized Solar Cells natural dyes solar cells energy storage nanostructures efficiency |
| title | Advances on Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells (DSSCs) Nanostructures and Natural Colorants: A Review |
| title_full | Advances on Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells (DSSCs) Nanostructures and Natural Colorants: A Review |
| title_fullStr | Advances on Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells (DSSCs) Nanostructures and Natural Colorants: A Review |
| title_full_unstemmed | Advances on Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells (DSSCs) Nanostructures and Natural Colorants: A Review |
| title_short | Advances on Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells (DSSCs) Nanostructures and Natural Colorants: A Review |
| title_sort | advances on dye sensitized solar cells dsscs nanostructures and natural colorants a review |
| topic | renewable energy capture: solar energy Dye Sensitized Solar Cells natural dyes solar cells energy storage nanostructures efficiency |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2504-477X/5/11/288 |
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