Nanocomposites of Carbon for Dye-Sensitized Solar Cell Applications

Efforts to make low-cost photovoltaic devices are a major part of today’s energy conversion research. The abundant, cheap, highly conductive, and easy-to-tune nature of carbon allotropes makes carbon-based nanocomposites more attractive to use in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSC). DSSCs are photo electrocatalytic solar cells that have a device architecture involving a nanoparticular electron transport layer (ETL) which accommodates an adequate quantity of photo-active dye molecules in their mesoporous morphology where the major transport is diffusion-based. Accession of carbon-based nanocomposite materials in the ETL matrix is well-researched as they enable linear electron transport pathways. Carbon-based nanocomposites are known for their conductivity and tunability in the regimes of work function and catalytic activities. Foremost research involves nanocomposites of carbon allotropes as a replacement for the high-cost traditional Platinum counter electrode used in DSSC devices for effective regeneration. In this chapter, we will provide insight into the application of various carbonaceous nanocomposite materials both in the photo-anode and counter electrodes of a DSSC.