4
Department of Public Health Barbados Medical Sciences Institute Bridgetown, Barbados
4
Faculty of Internal Medicine West Indies Clinical University Speightstown, Barbados
Abstract
The increasing global demand for renewable and sustainable energy technologies has intensified research into advanced photovoltaic systems capable of overcoming the efficiency and stability limitations of conventional silicon-based solar cells. Dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) have emerged as a promising third-generation photovoltaic technology due to their low production cost, flexibility, environmental compatibility, and capability to operate under low-light conditions. However, conventional DSSCs still encounter critical limitations associated with charge recombination, electrode instability, low electron mobility, and limited energy conversion efficiency. This research and review article presents a comprehensive analytical framework focused on advanced energy harvesting using graphene-based electrodes within dye-sensitized solar cell systems. The study critically examines the operational principles, structural configurations, charge transport mechanisms, and material interactions influencing DSSC performance. Particular emphasis is placed on the integration of graphene and graphene-derived nanostructures as conductive electrode materials to enhance photovoltaic efficiency, electron transport kinetics, and long-term operational stability. The review synthesizes existing literature concerning quantum dot sensitization, natural pigment sensitizers, nanophotonic enhancement, Shockley–Queisser efficiency considerations, and second-generation luminescent concentrator mechanisms. Furthermore, the article develops a theoretical framework linking graphene conductivity, optical transparency, catalytic behavior, and interfacial engineering with energy harvesting optimization. The findings indicate that graphene-based electrodes significantly improve charge transfer resistance, enhance light absorption efficiency, and contribute to improved thermal and electrochemical stability in DSSC architectures. The paper concludes that graphene-enabled DSSC systems represent a viable pathway toward scalable, low-cost, and environmentally sustainable photovoltaic technologies suitable for future smart energy infrastructures.
How to Cite
Clarke, D. R., & Browne, D. A. (2026). Advanced Energy Harvesting Framework Using Graphene-Based Electrodes In Dye-Sensitized Solar Cell Systems. Frontiers in Emerging Computer Science and Information Technology, 3(02), 29–36. Retrieved from https://irjernet.com/index.php/fecsit/article/view/405
J. Albero, J. N. Clifford, and E. Palomares, ‘Quantum dot based molecular solar cells’, Coord. Chem. Rev., vol. 263, pp. 53–64, 2014.
S. Ananthakumar, D. Balaji, J. Ram Kumar, and S. Moorthy Babu, ‘Role of co-sensitization in dye-sensitized and quantum dot-sensitized solar cells’, SN Appl. Sci., vol. 1, pp. 1–46, 2019.
D. M. Bagnall and M. Boreland, ‘Photovoltaic technologies’, Energy Policy, vol. 36, no. 12, pp. 4390–4396, 2008.
W. A. Badawy, ‘A review on solar cells from Si-single crystals to porous materials and quantum dots’, J. Adv. Res., vol. 6, no. 2, pp. 123–132, 2015.
E. T. Bekele and Y. D. Sintayehu, ‘Recent Progress, Advancements, and Efficiency Improvement Techniques of Natural Plant Pigment-Based Photosensitizers for Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells’, J. Nanomater., vol. 2022, 2022.
S. V. Boriskina and G. Chen, ‘Exceeding the solar cell Shockley–Queisser limit via thermal up-conversion of low-energy photons’, Opt. Commun., vol. 314, pp. 71–78, 2014.
F. Delgado-Vargas, A. Jiménez, and O. Paredes-López, ‘Natural pigments: carotenoids, anthocyanins, and betalains—characteristics, biosynthesis, processing, and stability’, Crit. Rev. Food Sci. Nutr., vol. 40, no. 3, pp. 173–289, 2000.
D. J. Farrell and M. Yoshida, ‘Operating regimes for second generation luminescent solar concentrators’, Prog. Photovolt. Res. Appl., vol. 20, no. 1, pp. 93–99, 2012.
J. Gong, J. Liang, and K. Sumathy, ‘Review on dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs): Fundamental concepts and novel materials’, Renew. Sustain. Energy Rev., vol. 16, no. 8, pp. 5848–5860, 2012.
Y. Gong et al., ‘Ag incorporation with controlled grain growth enables 12.5% efficient kesterite solar cell with open circuit voltage reached 64.2% Shockley–Queisser limit’, Adv. Funct. Mater., vol. 31, no. 24, p. 2101927, 2021.
J.-F. Guillemoles, T. Kirchartz, D. Cahen, and U. Rau, ‘Guide for the perplexed to the Shockley–Queisser model for solar cells’, Nat. Photonics, vol. 13, no. 8, pp. 501–505, 2019.
K. E. Jasim, ‘Dye sensitized solar cells-working principles, challenges and opportunities’, Sol. Cells-Dye-Sensitized Devices, vol. 8, p. 172Ā210, 2011.
N. Kant and P. Singh, ‘Review of next generation photovoltaic solar cell technology and comparative materialistic development’, Mater. Today Proc., vol. 56, pp. 3460–3470, 2022.
S. Karthick, K. Hemalatha, S. K. Balasingam, F. Manik Clinton, S. Akshaya, and H. Kim, ‘Dye‐sensitized solar cells: history, components, configuration, and working principle’, Interfacial Eng. Funct. Mater. Dye. Sol. Cells, pp. 1–16, 2019.
A. Khatibi, F. Razi Astaraei, and M. H. Ahmadi, ‘Generation and combination of the solar cells: A current model review’, Energy Sci. Eng., vol. 7, no. 2, pp. 305–322, 2019.
S. A. Mann, R. R. Grote, R. M. Osgood Jr, A. Alu, and E. C. Garnett, ‘Opportunities and limitations for nanophotonic structures to exceed the Shockley–Queisser limit’, ACS Nano, vol. 10, no. 9, pp. 8620–8631, 2016.
T. Markvart, ‘From steam engine to solar cells: can thermodynamics guide the development of future generations of photovoltaics?’, Wiley Interdiscip. Rev. Energy Environ., vol. 5, no. 5, pp. 543–569, 2016.
O. D. Miller, E. Yablonovitch, and S. R. Kurtz, ‘Strong internal and external luminescence as solar cells approach the Shockley–Queisser limit’, IEEE J. Photovolt., vol. 2, no. 3, pp. 303–311, 2012.
R. Miles, K. Hynes, and I. Forbes, ‘Photovoltaic solar cells: An overview of state-of-the-art cell development and environmental issues’, Prog. Cryst. Growth Charact. Mater., vol. 51, no. 1–3, pp. 1–42, 2005.
R. Ranveer, B. K. Sakhale, and U. Annapure, ‘Microencapsulation of Natural Pigments’, Nov. Process. Methods Plant-Based Health Foods Extr. Encapsulation Health Benefits Bioact. Compd., p. 163, 2023.
P. G. V. Sampaio and M. O. A. González, ‘A review on organic photovoltaic cell’, Int. J. Energy Res., vol. 46, no. 13, pp. 17813–17828, 2022.
A. Sarkar, P. Chatterjee, and A. K. Chakraborty, ‘Sulfides and selenides as electrodes for dye-sensitized solar cells’, in Sulfide and Selenide Based Materials for Emerging Applications, Elsevier, 2022, pp. 243–267.
K. Sharma, V. Sharma, and S. S. Sharma, ‘Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells: Fundamentals and Current Status’, Nanoscale Res. Lett., vol. 13, no. 1, p. 381, Nov. 2018.
S. Sharma, K. K. Jain, and A. Sharma, ‘Solar cells: in research and applications—a review’, Mater. Sci. Appl., vol. 6, no. 12, p. 1145, 2015.
B. Srinivas, S. Balaji, M. Nagendra Babu, and Y. Reddy, ‘Review on present and advance materials for solar cells’, Int. J. Eng. Res.-Online, vol. 3, pp. 178–182, 2015.
O. Vigil-Galán et al., ‘Route towards low cost-high efficiency second generation solar cells: current status and perspectives’, J. Mater. Sci. Mater. Electron., vol. 26, no. 8, pp. 5562–5573, 2015.
P. Wurfel, Physics of solar cells. Wiley-Vch, 2005.
Y. Xu, T. Gong, and J. N. Munday, ‘The generalized Shockley-Queisser limit for nanostructured solar cells’, Sci. Rep., vol. 5, no. 1, pp. 1–9, 2015.
Y. Xu, T. Gong, and J. N. Munday, ‘The generalized Shockley-Queisser limit for nanostructured solar cells’, Sci. Rep., vol. 5, no. 1, p. 13536, 2015.
J. Yan and B. R. Saunders, ‘Third-generation solar cells: a review and comparison of polymer: fullerene, hybrid polymer and perovskite solar cells’, Rsc Adv., vol. 4, no. 82, pp. 43286–43314, 2014.
