Integration of low-dimensional materials for energy-harvesting applications: current progress, scope, challenges, and opportunities

During the past few years, scientists have shown that climate change is a serious problem that mandates adequate solutions. Greenhouse gas emissions such as carbon dioxide contribute to heat trapping in the atmosphere, which increases the global temperature. Reducing greenhouse gas emissions and the carbon footprint to zero is an essential step toward maintaining a 2°C temperature change. In doing so, researchers and scientists have focused much attention on finding alternative technologies that provide clean and sustainable energy. In particular, nanotechnology can offer this alternative solution to the ongoing energy crisis. The recent progress in nanomaterial research has focused on the development of high-efficiency optoelectronics, batteries, low-power electronics, and thermoelectric devices for energy generation applications. With the emergence of new nanomaterials, such as carbonaceous materials and transition metal dichalcogenides, new physics have emerged. Scientists and engineers are still eager to answer some of the fundamental issues concerning these nanomaterials, including optical, electrical, and thermal properties. Yet, to this day, nanotechnology solutions to provide a sustainable energy are hinged by the ability to control and fully understand the properties of these nanomaterials. Here, we highlight some of the recent progress carried out in nano-optoelectronics, and share our thoughts on the opportunities and challenges facing low-dimensional devices to generate clean and sustainable energy.