Complex thermoelectric materials

Advancements in synthesis and characterization techniques, particularly for nanoscale materials, have led to the development of complex thermoelectric materials that can generate electricity from waste heat and can play an important role in a global sustainable energy solution. To maximize the thermodynamic figure of merit of a material, a large thermopower (absolute value of the Seeback coefficient), high electric conductivity, and low thermal conductivity are required. These transport characteristics depend on interrelated material properties, thus it requires several parameters to be optimized to maximize thermoelectric figure of merit. A diverse array of new approaches, from complexity within the unit cell to nanostructured bulk and thin-film materials, have all led to high thermoelectric efficiency materials. Advances in thermoelectrics have also presented opportunity to replace compression-based refrigeration with solid-state Peltier coolers.