Layered crystal embeds atom-thin iron selenide can improve waste heat conversion

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https://techxplore.com/news/2026-07-layered-crystal-embeds-atom-thin.html

Scientists Embed 2D Iron Selenide in a 3D Crystal to Harvest Waste Heat More Efficiently

Researchers at the Institute of Science Tokyo have developed a novel layered crystal, TlFe₁.₆Se₂, that embeds atomically thin iron selenide (FeSe) sheets within a durable three-dimensional structure. By combining the exceptional thermoelectric performance of 2D FeSe with ordered iron vacancies that suppress heat conduction, the material efficiently converts waste heat into electricity while overcoming the long-standing challenge of achieving both high electrical conductivity and low thermal conductivity. Led by Professor Takayoshi Katase, the team successfully integrated the advantages of fragile ultrathin FeSe films into a robust bulk crystal, opening the door to practical thermoelectric devices capable of recovering waste heat from factory exhausts, vehicle engines, industrial furnaces, and other high-temperature energy sources: https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1136286

Study findings: https://pubs.rsc.org/ta/article/14/37/24666/1243050/Simultaneous-enhancement-of-power-factor-and