Themed collection Thermoelectrics

Two monomers featured in high-power-factor polymers and occupancy probability (Fermi function) superimposed over a DOS distribution preferred for high Seebeck coefficient.

A comprehensive review is presented of the physics of resonant dopant impurities in semiconductors, emphasizing those that enhance the thermoelectric power and efficiency. The theory of the enhancement mechanisms is explained, and an extensive review of the experimental literature is given covering III–VI, II–V, IV–VI and V₂-VI₃ compound semiconductors.

This paper discusses recent advances in the thermoelectric field from fundamentals of carrier transport to materials and device design and applications.

A high ZT value of ∼1.1 at 923 K in BiCuSeO oxyselenides has been achieved by the combination of optimizing electrical transport properties through Ba heavily doping and reducing thermal conductivity through refining grain sizes. High performance along with excellent thermal and chemical stabilities makes BiCuSeO very promising for thermoelectric applications.

Stronger phonon scattering by larger differences in atomic mass and size in p-type half-Heuslers HfTiCoSbSn

A new type of dye-sensitized solar cell based on Bi₂Te₃/TiO₂ anode to simultaneously harvest thermal and photo energies is reported.

By adding Al in PbSe, we prepared n-type PbSe thermoelectric materials with a figure-of-merit (ZT) of 1.3 due to a combination of high Seebeck because of resonant states by Al doping and low thermal conductivity.

Large PbSnS₂ (>100 nm) microstructures in PbTe effectively reduce lattice thermal conductivity, rivaling state of the art nanostructured thermoelectric materials.

A remarkably increased Seebeck coefficient and power factor of FeCl₃-doped poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) by rationally mixing with Bi₂Te₃ nanowires was reported.

Contrary to what is generally believed, low effective mass is demonstrated to be beneficial for thermoelectrics.

Good electrical conductivity, large Seebeck coefficients and low thermal conductivity were obtained for pristine BiCuSeO oxides with a layered structure of alternately stacked conductive (Cu₂Se₂)²⁻ and insulating (Bi₂O₂)²⁺ layers, resulting in a high ZT value of 0.70 at 773 K.

Ar plasma treatment is an effective method to enhance thermoelectric properties of flexible CNT papers with greatly increased Seebeck coefficients and largely decreased thermal conductivities.

Endotaxially embedding nanocrystals of the alkaline earth tellurides CaTe or BaTe in PbTe doped with Na₂Te heat carrying phonons can be strongly scattered with little effect on the power factor. The highest thermoelectric figure of merit, ZT, value achieved is ∼1.5 at 765 K for 6% CaTe containing sample, while 3% BaTe containing sample shows the ZT of ∼1.3 at 760 K.

Phonon scattering by electrons is effective for increasing lattice thermal resistivity in Mo₃Sb_7−xTe_x, especially in high carrier concentration samples.

Thallium triggers formation of resonant electronic states in PbTe alloys' valence bands that enhance the thermoelectric figure of merit.

A novel photovoltaic–thermoelectric hybrid device based on a dye-sensitized solar cell is presented with an overall efficiency of 13.8%.

Independent effects of band structure complexity and large nanostructures combine to improve the thermoelectric performance.

Self-propagating thermopower waves on P- type Sb₂Te₃ and N-type Bi₂Te₃ layers result in a high specific power output.

The reevaluation of PbTe_1−xI_x reveals a significantly larger figure of merit, peak zT ∼ 1.4, than often previously reported for n-type PbTe.

Thermoelectric Na-doped PbTe is much better than previously believed and comparable with the recently discovered PbTe:Tl but less toxic.

The inexpensive, nontoxic material, Ca₃AlSb₃, exhibits a promising thermoelectric figure of merit arising from an extremely low lattice thermal conductivity.

Recrystallization induced in situ nanostructures were used as a new means to obtain enhanced thermoelectric performance in polycrystalline Bi_0.5Sb_1.5Te₃ alloys.