Textile-Based Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells: Fabrication, Characterization, and Challenges

Dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSC) developed from natural plant-based dyes gained prominence due to low manufacturing costs and environmental friendliness. There is a strong demand for wearable solar cells utilizing natural plant-based dyes. Currently, a significant focus is on improving the efficiency of a DSSC. Every component and step in the fabrication of a DSSC is crucial in ensuring that a stable and efficient DSSC is developed. Different coating methods were reviewed in the fabrication of both counter and working electrodes in textile-based DSSCs (TDSSC). Various types of plant dyes were used to achieve an excellent conversion efficiency in a TDSSC. A suitable coating method will also allow for proper adhesion of the TiO₂ paste, thereby improving the electron transport in the TDSSC. Various methods used in the analysis of the dye to test for the optical properties and photo-electrochemical properties of DSSCs will be studied and analyzed. In a conventional DSSC, both the working and counterelectrodes are made of fluorine-doped glass, while in a TDSSC, either the working or counterelectrodes are made from textile fabric. A DSSC that is all-textile, with an efficiency rating similar or better than that of a glass DSSC, has yet to be developed. The challenges in the fabrication of TDSSC will be reviewed. The purpose of this chapter is to review and compare various conductive coating methods reported in a TDSSC; additionally, various plant-based dyes used for that purpose will also be reviewed.