Hierarchically micro/nanostructured photoanode materials for dye-sensitized solar cells

As one of the most promising low cost alternatives to the traditional p–n junction photovoltaic device, the dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC) has attracted immense attention from academic and industrial researchers in the last two decades. The size, structure and morphology of photoanode materials have been found to show significant influence on the photovoltaic performance of DSSCs. In this feature article, we briefly summarize the synthesis and properties of hierarchically micro/nanostructured semiconductor (TiO2, ZnO, SnO2) photoanode materials involving microspheres and one-dimensional nanostructure, and their photovoltaic performance in DSSCs.