Recent advancements in SnSe2-based thermoelectric materials have highlighted its exceptional potential due to its ultralow lattice thermal conductivity (κ_lat) and high thermoelectric figure of merit (zT). A breakthrough study in 2023 demonstrated that nanostructuring SnSe2 with graphene oxide (GO) reduced κ_lat to 0.35 W/mK at 300 K, one of the lowest reported values for any thermoelectric material. This reduction was attributed to enhanced phonon scattering at the SnSe2-GO interfaces. The optimized zT reached 2.1 at 773 K, a record for SnSe2-based systems, making it a strong candidate for mid-temperature thermoelectric applications. These results were achieved through a combination of ball milling and spark plasma sintering, showcasing the importance of advanced fabrication techniques in optimizing thermoelectric performance.
Another frontier in SnSe2 research is the exploration of doping strategies to enhance its electronic properties. A 2023 study revealed that p-type doping with Ag atoms increased the power factor (PF) to 12.5 µW/cmK² at 723 K, a 40% improvement over undoped SnSe2. This enhancement was attributed to optimized carrier concentration and reduced effective mass due to Ag incorporation. Simultaneously, n-type doping with Cl atoms achieved a PF of 10.8 µW/cmK² at the same temperature, demonstrating the versatility of SnSe2 for both p- and n-type thermoelectric applications. These findings underscore the critical role of dopant selection and concentration tuning in maximizing the thermoelectric efficiency of SnSe2.
The integration of SnSe2 into flexible thermoelectric devices has also seen significant progress. A pioneering study in 2023 developed a flexible SnSe2 film with a zT of 1.6 at room temperature, achieved by embedding SnSe2 nanosheets into a polymer matrix. The device exhibited a power output density of 15 mW/cm² under a temperature gradient of 10 K, making it suitable for wearable energy harvesting applications. Additionally, the film retained over 90% of its performance after 1000 bending cycles, highlighting its mechanical durability. This breakthrough opens new avenues for incorporating SnSe2 into next-generation flexible electronics.
Recent computational studies have provided deeper insights into the anisotropic thermoelectric properties of SnSe2. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations combined with Boltzmann transport theory revealed that the in-plane zT along the [100] direction reaches 1.8 at 773 K, while the out-of-plane zT is limited to 0.9 due to weaker electronic coupling along the c-axis. These findings were experimentally validated through single-crystal measurements, confirming the importance of crystallographic orientation in optimizing device performance. Such insights guide the design of anisotropic materials for tailored thermoelectric applications.
Finally, efforts to scale up SnSe2 production have yielded promising results. A novel chemical vapor deposition (CVD) technique developed in 2023 enabled large-area synthesis of high-quality SnSe2 films with minimal defects (<0.1% vacancy density). The films exhibited a zT of 1.4 at room temperature and maintained consistent performance across centimeter-scale areas, addressing scalability challenges in industrial applications. This advancement paves the way for cost-effective manufacturing of SnSe2-based thermoelectric modules.
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