A brief overview of electrode materials for hydrazine sensors and dye-sensitized solar cells

Environmental pollution and energy crises are receiving considerable global attention. For instance, hydrazine, a toxic compound that can affect human health and the environment, is extensively used in various industries and could be responsible for several diseases. Therefore, accurate determination of hydrazine is critical. Although various strategies have been adopted for hydrazine determination, electrochemical approaches have shown considerable promise in this regard. With respect to mitigating energy crises, solar energy is the most efficient renewable energy source that can be sufficiently converted into electrical energy using photovoltaic devices (solar cells). Dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) have attracted significant attention because of their cost-effectiveness, high performance, and simple fabrication, and can be considered an alternative to conventional solar cells. Extensive efforts have been made to develop high-performance DSSCs. In particular, the performance of DSSCs is significantly influenced by the photoanode material. Recent advances in the electrode materials used for hydrazine sensors and DSSCs, such as TiO2, ZnO, SnO2, metal-doped semiconductors, and hybrid composites, are reviewed in this article. The basic principles and operating mechanisms of DSSCs are discussed, along with the inherent challenges and future perspectives.