The long-standing popularity of thermoelectric materials has contributed to the creation of various thermoelectric devices and stimulated the development of strategies to improve their thermoelectric performance. In this review, we aim to comprehensively summarize the state-of-the-art strategies for the realization of high-performance thermoelectric materials and devices by establishing the links between synthesis, structural characteristics, properties, underlying chemistry and physics, including structural design (point defects, dislocations, interfaces, inclusions, and pores), multidimensional design (quantum dots/wires, nanoparticles, nanowires, nano- or microbelts, few-layered nanosheets, nano- or microplates, thin films, single crystals, and polycrystalline bulks), and advanced device design (thermoelectric modules, miniature generators and coolers, and flexible thermoelectric generators). The outline of each strategy starts with a concise presentation of their fundamentals and carefully selected examples. In the end, we point out the controversies, challenges, and outlooks toward the future development of thermoelectric materials and devices. Overall, this review will serve to help materials scientists, chemists, and physicists, particularly students and young researchers, in selecting suitable strategies for the improvement of thermoelectrics and potentially other relevant energy conversion technologies.

Advanced Thermoelectric Design: From Materials and Structures to Devices

Thermoelectric (TE) materials have the capability of converting heat into electricity, which can improve fuel efficiency, as well as providing robust alternative energy supply in multiple applications by collecting wasted heat, and therefore, assisting in finding new energy solutions. In order to construct high performance TE devices, superior TE materials have to be targeted via various strategies. The development of high performance TE devices can broaden the market of TE application and eventually boost the enthusiasm of TE material research. This review focuses on major novel strategies to achieve high-performance TE materials and their applications. Manipulating the carrier concentration and band structures of materials are effective in optimizing the electrical transport properties, while nanostructure engineering and defect engineering can greatly reduce the thermal conductivity approaching the amorphous limit. Currently, TE devices are utilized to generate power in remote missions, solar-thermal systems, implantable or/wearable devices, the automotive industry, and many other fields; they are also serving as temperature sensors and controllers or even gas sensors. The future tendency is to synergistically optimize and integrate all the effective factors to further improve the TE performance, so that highly efficient TE materials and devices can be more beneficial to daily lives.

https://espace.library.uq.edu.au/view/UQ:722903/UQ722903_OA.pdf

High Performance Thermoelectric Materials: Progress and Their Applications

Recent advances in thermoelectric materials

Based on the concept of band bending at metal/semiconductor interfaces as an energy filter for electrons, we present a theory for the enhancement of the thermoelectric properties of semiconductor materials with metallic nanoinclusions. We show that the Seebeck coefficient can be significantly increased due to a strongly energy-dependent electronic scattering time. By including phonon scattering, we find that the enhancement of $ZT$ due to electron scattering is important for high doping, while at low doping it is primarily due to a decrease in the phonon thermal conductivity.

/pdf/theory-of-enhancement-of-thermoelectric-properties-of-2rvreb7dv1.pdf

Theory of enhancement of thermoelectric properties of materials with nanoinclusions.

https://espace.library.uq.edu.au/view/UQ:e38288a/UQe38288a_OA.pdf

High-performance SnSe thermoelectric materials: Progress and future challenge

Energy Filtering of Charge Carriers: Current Trends, Challenges, and Prospects for Thermoelectric Materials

Recent progress and futuristic development of PbSe thermoelectric materials and devices

Effects of Ni doping induced band modification and Ni3Se2 nanoinclusion on thermoelectric properties of PbSe

In this work, we have explored the effect of dopant concentration (copper (Cu)) on the thermoelectric performance of Cu doped lead selenide (Pb1−x Cu x Se (0 ≤ x ≤ 0.1)). With increasing the dopant concentration, sign inversion of majority charge carriers takes place for x ≥ 0.04 due to the donor behaviour of Cu in the P-type pristine PbSe. The room temperature Seebeck coefficients of Pb1−x Cu x Se with x = 0.01, 0.02, 0.04, 0.06 and 0.08 are observed to be 233, 337, −473.7, −392.5 and −257.6 μV K−1, respectively as compared to that of 186.4 μV K−1 of the pristine PbSe. This increment in Seebeck coefficient is the result of low carrier concentration and is not related to the resonance states created by Cu dopant. At room temperature, the lattice thermal conductivity of pristine PbSe is 0.52 W m−1 K−1 while for Cu doped PbSe, it varies from 0.8 to 1.1 W m−1 K−1. Finally, with ZT of ~0.59 and power factor of ~700 at 500 K, Pb0.98Cu0.02Se exhibits the highest thermoelectric performance among the studied Pb1−x Cu x Se systems. Owing to the high ZT and power factor, a single thermoelement of Pb0.98Cu0.02Se exhibits thermovoltage of >100 mV at a temperature gradient of 200 °C.

http://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/0022-3727/49/28/285104/pdf

Chhatrasal Gayner

Papers

Recent advances in thermoelectric materials

Energy Filtering of Charge Carriers: Current Trends, Challenges, and Prospects for Thermoelectric Materials

Recent progress and futuristic development of PbSe thermoelectric materials and devices

Effects of Ni doping induced band modification and Ni3Se2 nanoinclusion on thermoelectric properties of PbSe

Exploring the doping effects of copper on thermoelectric properties of lead selenide