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

Herein, we demonstrate that a flexible, air-permeable, thermoelectric (TE) power generator can be prepared by applying a TE polymer (e.g. poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(4-styrenesulfonate)) coated commercial fabric and subsequently by linking the coated strips with a conductive connection (e.g. using fine metal wires). The poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(4-styrenesulfonate) coated fabric shows very stable TE properties from 300 K to 390 K. The fabric device can generate a TE voltage output (V) of 4.3 mV at a temperature difference (ΔT) of 75.2 K. The potential for using fabric TE devices to harvest body temperature energy has been discussed. Fabric-based TE devices may be useful for the development of new power generating clothing and self-powered wearable electronics.

/pdf/thermoelectric-fabrics-toward-power-generating-clothing-yoo0j9uhut.pdf

Thermoelectric Fabrics: Toward Power Generating Clothing

Flexible thermoelectric generator for ambient assisted living wearable biometric sensors

http://dei-s1.dei.uminho.pt/pessoas/lgoncalves/LostLink/2009/Thermoelectric%20Thin-Films%20LMGoncalves.pdf

Optimization of thermoelectric properties on Bi2Te3 thin films deposited by thermal co-evaporation

Thermoelectric materials are capable of converting heat and electricity to each other Thermoelectric devices can be miniaturized and highly integrated with existing semiconductor chip systems with microgenerators or microrefrigerators After years of research and accumulation, BiTe series, SnSe series, CuSe series, half-Heusler series, multicomponent oxides series, organic–inorganic composites series, and GeTe/PbTe series have been found to have excellent thermoelectric properties According to theoretical calculation, when the diameter of Bi2Te3 nanowires is 5 A, the ZT value reaches 14, and graphdiyne has a ZT value of 48 at 300 K Experimental measurements revealed that the ZT value of n-type SnSe reached 28 This review would focus on the updated experimental and theoretical achievements of seven kinds of materials, including BiTe series, SnSe series, CuSe series, multicomponent oxides, half-Heusler alloys, organic–inorganic composites, and GeTe/PbTe series The preparation method, microstructure characteristics, device structure, and thermoelectric properties of each material will be described in detail By analyzing the performance of these materials, three possible development directions are put forward for how to further improve the thermoelectric properties of materials

Eungsun Byon

Papers

Effect of deposition temperature on the structural and thermoelectric properties of bismuth telluride thin films grown by co-sputtering

Characterization of interface of c-BN film deposited on silicon(100) substrate

Electrochemical properties of boron-carbon-nitride films formed by magnetron sputtering

Corrosion behavior of boron-carbon-nitride films grown by magnetron sputtering

A study of interface and adhesion of c-BN film on Si(1 0 0) modified by nitrogen plasma based ion implantation technique