Issue 12, 2020

Rational structural design and manipulation advance SnSe thermoelectrics

Abstract

Thermoelectrics can directly harvest electricity from waste heat through the Seebeck effect; therefore, their use has been regarded as an eco-friendly and sustainable solution to alleviate the pressure due to fossil fuel consumption and environmental pollution. Rational structural manipulation is critical to improving the thermoelectric performance of materials, and a timely review is required to summarize the recent progress in novel structural design for thermoelectrics. In this review, taking SnSe as a typical example and combined with other thermoelectric materials, we summarize recent advances in rational structural manipulation for thermoelectric materials, including point defects, dislocations, boundaries, nanoinclusions, and nanopores. The inherent links between syntheses, characterization, and thermoelectric properties by tailoring their structures are established. In addition, we discuss the development of nanoscale thermoelectric materials and their potential for application in flexible thermoelectric devices. This review can guide the design of high-performance thermoelectric materials.

Graphical abstract: Rational structural design and manipulation advance SnSe thermoelectrics

Article information

Article type
Review Article
Submitted
11 jun 2020
Accepted
04 aug 2020
First published
04 aug 2020

Mater. Horiz., 2020,7, 3065-3096

Rational structural design and manipulation advance SnSe thermoelectrics

X. Shi, W. Chen, X. Tao, J. Zou and Z. Chen, Mater. Horiz., 2020, 7, 3065 DOI: 10.1039/D0MH00954G

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