Silicon nanowires for advanced energy conversion and storage

SummaryDue to their unique structural, electrical, optical, and thermal properties, silicon nanowires (SiNWs) are attracting immense interest as a promising material for advanced energy conversion and storage applications. In this feature article, we review the recent achievements on SiNWs for advanced energy conversion and storage applications including photovoltaics, photocatalysis, thermoelectrics, lithium-ion batteries and supercapacitors. We also offer our prospective on the outstanding challenges in this emerging field.

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► A brief overview of the popular methods for the low-cost fabrication of high-quality silicon nanowires is given.
► Silicon nanowires for energy conversion and storage applications including photovoltaics, photocatalysis, thermoelectrics, lithium-ion batteries and supercapacitors are summarized.
► Future challenges and prospects for silicon nanowires in the arena of energy-related applications are discussed.