Recent advances in dye-sensitized solar cells: Materials, mechanisms, and performance enhancement strategies

Abstract

Dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) have emerged as an alternative photovoltaic technology to conventional systems due to their low cost, flexibility, semi-transparency, and adaptability to various application domains. In recent years, advancements in materials engineering, device architecture, and performance optimization have made DSSCs a prominent topic of research, particularly in indoor, wearable, and building-integrated energy systems. This review systematically addresses recent developments in DSSC technology, focusing on fundamental components such as n-type and p-type cell architectures, photoanodes, dyes, electrolytes, and counter electrodes. While the effects of material selection and nanostructure engineering on photovoltaic performance are detailed, major technical and economic barriers to commercialization such as the thermal instability and leakage risk of liquid electrolytes, the limited lifetime of organic dyes, efficiency ceilings, and the high cost of platinum-based counter electrodes are also highlighted. Opportunities and future research directions are discussed in the context of solid-state electrolytes and their potential in next-generation applications such as flexible devices, textile integration, and low-light indoor environments. In conclusion, DSSCs represent a versatile and innovative photovoltaic platform with significant future application potential, offering a promising balance of cost, stability, and performance.

Keywords

• Dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSC)
• n-type DSSC
• p-type DSSC
• Photoanode
• Sensitizer (dye)
• Electrolyte

Boya duyarlı güneş hücrelerinde güncel gelişmeler: Malzemeler, mekanizmalar ve performans artırma stratejileri

Abstract

Boya duyarlı güneş hücreleri (DSSC’ler), uygun maliyetleri, esnek ve yarı saydam yapıları, farklı uygulama alanlarına uyarlanabilirlikleri sayesinde geleneksel fotovoltaik teknolojilere alternatif teknoloji olarak öne çıkmaktadır. Son yıllarda malzeme mühendisliği, cihaz mimarisi ve performans optimizasyonunda kaydedilen ilerlemeler, DSSC’leri özellikle iç mekân, giyilebilir ve bina entegreli enerji sistemlerinde önemli bir araştırma konusu haline getirmiştir. Bu derleme, DSSC teknolojisindeki güncel gelişmeleri sistematik olarak ele alarak, n-tipi ve p-tipi hücre yapıları ile fotoanotlar, boyar maddeler, elektrolitler ve karşı elektrotlar gibi temel bileşenlere odaklanmaktadır. Malzeme seçimi ve nanoyapı mühendisliğinin fotovoltaik performans üzerindeki etkileri detaylandırılırken; sıvı elektrolitlerin termal kararsızlığı ve sızma riski, organik boyaların uzun ömür sorunları, verimlilik limitleri ve platin karşı elektrotların yüksek maliyeti gibi, ticarileşmenin önündeki başlıca teknik ve ekonomik engeller de vurgulanmaktadır. Katı hal elektrolitler esnek cihazlar, tekstil entegrasyonu ve düşük ışıkta iç mekân uygulamaları gibi yeni nesil kullanım alanları ile birlikte, gelecekte DSSC’lerin karşılaşabileceği fırsatlar ve araştırma yönelimleri de tartışılmaktadır. Sonuç olarak, DSSC’ler; maliyet, stabilite ve performans dengesini sağlayan çok yönlü ve yenilikçi bir fotovoltaik platform olarak gelecekte geniş kullanım kapasitesi bulunan bir teknolojidir.

Keywords

• Boya duyarlı güneş hücreleri (DSSC)
• n-tipi DSSC
• p-tipi DSSC
• Fotoanot
• Duyarlılaştırıcı (boyar madde)
• Elektrolit

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