Colloquium: Dr. Engin Durgun, Bilkent University

Two-dimensional Materials for Energy and Electronic Applications

ABSTRACT:

During the last decade, there has been growing interest in two-dimensional (2D) materials due to their unique chemical, mechanical, electronic, and optical properties. Motivated by the synthesis of graphene and its extraordinary properties, researchers have focused on predicting and synthesizing 2D allotropes of other elements and compounds. On the theoretical front, these efforts led to the prediction of 2D allotropes of group-IV elements, group IV, III-V, and II-VI compounds, silicon dioxides, transition metal dioxides, and dichalcogenides, monochalcogenides, and alkali-earth metal hydroxides. It was shown that these 2D materials display diverse electronic, optical, and magnetic properties for a wide range of technological applications, such as optoelectronics, spintronics, catalysts, chemical and biological sensors, supercapacitors, solar cells, nanotribology, hydrogen production, and alkali-ion batteries. In this respect, the main theme of this talk is to present results on the prediction of new emerging 2D materials by identifying stable atomic structures, investigating fundamental properties, and revealing their potential for advanced applications. Among the variety of possibilities, ultra-thin transistors, nanoscale capacitors, thermoelectric devices, and photocatalytic water-splitting applications based on 2D systems will be discussed. The results obtained by advance computational methods are not only substantial for fundamental understanding but also are helpful for near-future technological advancements.