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Orientation Engineering in Flexible Ag2Se-Based Thermoelectric Films
Hao Wu1, Xiao-Lei Shi2, Qingfeng Liu1
1State Key Laboratory of Materials-Oriented Chemical Engineering, College of Chemical Engineering, Nanjing Tech University, Nanjing, China.
Advanced Science (Weinheim, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany)
|July 30, 2026
Summary
Highly oriented silver selenide (Ag2Se) films offer a path to self-powered wearable electronics by efficiently converting body heat into electricity. This review highlights advancements in Ag2Se flexible thermoelectric materials for next-generation energy harvesting.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Energy Harvesting
- Nanotechnology
Background:
- Flexible thermoelectrics offer a sustainable alternative to batteries for wearable electronics by harvesting body heat.
- Silver selenide (Ag2Se) is a promising material due to its excellent near-room-temperature thermoelectric properties, flexibility, and biocompatibility.
Purpose of the Study:
- To systematically review recent advancements in highly oriented Ag2Se films for thermoelectric applications.
- To establish a framework correlating fabrication, microstructure, orientation, and performance in Ag2Se films.
- To identify challenges and opportunities for developing Ag2Se-based wearable thermoelectric generators.
Main Methods:
- Review of literature on various Ag2Se film architectures (deposited, nanowire-based, selenized, free-standing).
- Analysis of orientation engineering strategies to enhance carrier transport and thermoelectric performance.
- Correlation of fabrication methods with microstructural and crystallographic characteristics.
Main Results:
- Orientation engineering significantly improves carrier transport and thermoelectric performance in Ag2Se films.
- Proposed film thickness and near-room-temperature power factor as key metrics for evaluating application potential.
- Established a unified framework for understanding orientation-dependent charge transport in Ag2Se.
Conclusions:
- Highly oriented Ag2Se films are crucial for high-performance flexible thermoelectric energy harvesting.
- Further research is needed to address challenges in scalability, mechanical robustness, and device integration.
- Ag2Se holds significant potential for next-generation self-powered wearable systems and physiological monitoring.
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