Abstract
The rapid advancement in technologies and a surge in the global population
with the swift Industrialization led to severe challenges in fulfilling global energy
demand. In the last few decades, researchers have been fiercely looking for the
development of sustainable energy sources to achieve the goal of carbon neutrality and
green energy generation. Among the various approaches to green energy generation,
solar and thermoelectric conversions are the most lucrative. In both solar and
thermoelectric means of energy generation, direct conversion of sunlight and
temperature gradient into useful electricity is possible without involving heavy
mechanical instruments or hazardous gases, which makes it more robust and prone to
environmental degradation. Despite the several advantages, solar cell and
thermoelectric power generation are still suffering from the challenges of low power
conversion efficiency and long-term stability. In 2004, graphene was discovered,
ushering in a new age of 2D materials research. The family of two-dimensional
materials has been intensively explored in recent years as a reliable and effective
alternative material for numerous applications, including thermoelectric power
conversion and solar cell components, due to their distinctive material features.
Geometric symmetry has a big impact on the electrical characteristics of 2D layered
nanomaterials because they are highly sensitive to structural perfection. Numerous
nanomaterials have recently been exfoliated, and computational predictions have been
made for their potential applications in solar cells and thermoelectric generators. In this
chapter, we will basically discuss the insight of emerging nano-materials, their key
properties, and applications for designing renewable energy devices. The ultra-thin
layer-based solar cells and nano-materials-based thermoelectric generators will also be
introduced as a section of the chapter. The concept of emerging classes of nano-materials such as Janus monolayers, van-der Waals structures, and group-IV
chalcogenides further piques the interest of the reader to learn about the different
perspectives of nano-materials and nano-devices.