Surfactant mediated TiO2 photoanodes and Cu2ZnSnS4 counter electrodes for high efficient dye sensitized solar cells

•SDS mediated TiO2 photoanodes are prepared using hydrothermal method for DSSC.•CZTS/FTO counter electrode are prepared using hydrothermal method.•The DSSC device show 6.24% photoconversion efficiency. Highly crystallized kesterite Cu2ZnSnS4 (CZTS) nanoparticles with an energy band gap of 1.54 eV and desired elemental compositions were prepared by hydrothermal method. CZTS thin films were prepared on titanium tetrachloride (TiCl4) treated fluorine doped tin oxide (FTO) substrate by doctor blade coating method. Morphological developments of hydrothermal synthesized, sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) mediated, TiO2 nanostructured thin films on TiCl4 treated FTO substrate were investigated. The CZTS/FTO counter electrodes (CSs) and TiO2 nanostructured photoanodes were employed in dye sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). DSSCs device with power conversion efficiency of 6.24% have been fabricated. The TiCl4 treated CZTS CEs and SDS mediated TiO2 nanostructure photoanodes provides suitable electrodes for low cost and high efficient dye sensitized solar cells.