Herein, an improved structure of the dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC) is demonstrated which is composed of surface modified fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) glass with graphene (GR) sheets and TiO2 films incorporated with three-dimensional crumped graphene (3-D CGR)/GR sheets. The morphologies of the as-prepared GR sheets on FTO glasses and 3-D CGR/GR sheets/TiO2 films were observed by field-emission scanning electron microscopy. Light harvesting and charge recombination kinetics were investigated with a solar simulator and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy analysis. In addition to the reduced charge resistance by the GR modified FTO, the enhanced dye loading capability of the 3-D CGR, and the rapid charge transport by the 2-D GR sheets, the power conversion efficiency was 7.2%, which was an increase of 56% compared to a conventional structured DSSC. (c) 2015 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 62: 574-579, 2016