Synthesis, characterizations and technological prospects of nickel tellurides: a review

Nickel tellurides is one of the representative materials amongst transition metal chalcogenides and is generally recognized for its structural, electronic features, and multifunctional behaviour that suits the requirement of a wide spectrum of modern applications. Progress in synthetic strategies over the last two decades has allowed precise control on morphology and stoichiometry, enabling the development of i.e., nanoparticles, nanosheets, nanorods and thin films with thickness in nanometres. A variety of fabrication techniques-including hydrothermal/solvothermal methods, chemical vapor deposition, electrodeposition, and ion-exchange processes-have been extensively applied to obtain nickel telluride with tailored properties. To understand structural, electronic, and physico-chemical characteristics, researchers has opted for characterization of nickel telluride(s) by various spectroscopic and electro-analytical techniques such as X-ray analysis, Raman spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy. Due to their excellent electrical conductivity (950 mSm −1 ), thermal conductivity (2.5 Wm −1 K −1 ) intrinsic chemical robustness, and catalytic efficiency, nickel tellurides have demonstrated potential across multiple domains. Nevertheless, challenges such as phase purity (hexagonal and trigonal), stability of their shape and size vis-a-vis commercial viability still hinder their widespread utility. This review integrates recent findings to provide an overview of the synthesis approaches, structural and functional characterizations, and state-of-the-art technological applications of nickel tellurides. The Review article presented through literature resource covering methods of synthesis of nickel tellurides (NiTe, NiTe 2 and Ni 2 Te 3 ) and their utility in diverse fields.