Recent developments in bulk thermoelectric materials

Good thermoelectric materials possess low thermal conductivity while maximizing electric carrier transport. This article looks at various classes of materials to understand their behavior and determine methods to modify or "tune" them to optimize their thermoelectric properties. Whether it is the use of "rattlers" in cage structures such as skutterudites, or mixed-lattice atoms such as the complex half-Heusler alloys, the ability to manipulate the thermal conductivity of a material is essential in optimizing its properties for thermoelectric applications.