Investigations of thermoelectric properties of 2D-layered tin selenide

Abstract

In this era of 21st century, energy crisis and consequent enormous demand of conventional energy sources compel the incorporation of renewable energy sources to combat the energy issues worldwide. Considering the overall global energy consumption, almost two-third of energy is lost as waste heat (Figure 1.1).[1, 2] One of the promising solution to utilize this waste heat as electrical energy is Thermoelectrics. Thermoelectric (TE) materials, using the principle of Seebeck Effect, play a pivotal role in the direct and reversible conversion of heat into electricity (Figure 1.1).[2, 3] Among all the TE materials ever discovered till now, 2D-layered metal chalcogenides have shown considerable impact due to their intrinsically low thermal conductivity and high Seebeck coefficient arising from their strong anisotropic nature.