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      The bridge between the materials and devices of thermoelectric power generators

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          Abstract

          Beyond ZT, ( ZT) eng was used as a direct indicator for thermoelectric performance to achieve a balance between material tuning and device reliability.

          Abstract

          While considerable efforts have been made to develop and improve thermoelectric materials, research on thermoelectric modules is at a relatively early stage because of the gap between material and device technologies. In this review, we discuss the cumulative temperature dependence model to reliably predict the thermoelectric performance of module devices and individual materials for an accurate evaluation of the p–n configuration compared to the conventional model used since the 1950s. In this model, the engineering figure of merit and engineering power factor are direct indicators, and they exhibit linear correlations to efficiency and output power density, respectively. To reconcile the strategy for high material performance and the thermomechanical reliability issue in devices, a new methodology is introduced by defining the engineering thermal conductivity. Beyond thermoelectric materials, the device point of view needs to be actively addressed before thermoelectric generators can be envisioned as power sources.

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          Most cited references88

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          Complex thermoelectric materials.

          Thermoelectric materials, which can generate electricity from waste heat or be used as solid-state Peltier coolers, could play an important role in a global sustainable energy solution. Such a development is contingent on identifying materials with higher thermoelectric efficiency than available at present, which is a challenge owing to the conflicting combination of material traits that are required. Nevertheless, because of modern synthesis and characterization techniques, particularly for nanoscale materials, a new era of complex thermoelectric materials is approaching. We review recent advances in the field, highlighting the strategies used to improve the thermopower and reduce the thermal conductivity.
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            Ultralow thermal conductivity and high thermoelectric figure of merit in SnSe crystals.

            The thermoelectric effect enables direct and reversible conversion between thermal and electrical energy, and provides a viable route for power generation from waste heat. The efficiency of thermoelectric materials is dictated by the dimensionless figure of merit, ZT (where Z is the figure of merit and T is absolute temperature), which governs the Carnot efficiency for heat conversion. Enhancements above the generally high threshold value of 2.5 have important implications for commercial deployment, especially for compounds free of Pb and Te. Here we report an unprecedented ZT of 2.6 ± 0.3 at 923 K, realized in SnSe single crystals measured along the b axis of the room-temperature orthorhombic unit cell. This material also shows a high ZT of 2.3 ± 0.3 along the c axis but a significantly reduced ZT of 0.8 ± 0.2 along the a axis. We attribute the remarkably high ZT along the b axis to the intrinsically ultralow lattice thermal conductivity in SnSe. The layered structure of SnSe derives from a distorted rock-salt structure, and features anomalously high Grüneisen parameters, which reflect the anharmonic and anisotropic bonding. We attribute the exceptionally low lattice thermal conductivity (0.23 ± 0.03 W m(-1) K(-1) at 973 K) in SnSe to the anharmonicity. These findings highlight alternative strategies to nanostructuring for achieving high thermoelectric performance.
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              Cooling, heating, generating power, and recovering waste heat with thermoelectric systems.

              Lon E Bell (2008)
              Thermoelectric materials are solid-state energy converters whose combination of thermal, electrical, and semiconducting properties allows them to be used to convert waste heat into electricity or electrical power directly into cooling and heating. These materials can be competitive with fluid-based systems, such as two-phase air-conditioning compressors or heat pumps, or used in smaller-scale applications such as in automobile seats, night-vision systems, and electrical-enclosure cooling. More widespread use of thermoelectrics requires not only improving the intrinsic energy-conversion efficiency of the materials but also implementing recent advancements in system architecture. These principles are illustrated with several proven and potential applications of thermoelectrics.
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                Author and article information

                Journal
                EESNBY
                Energy & Environmental Science
                Energy Environ. Sci.
                Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC)
                1754-5692
                1754-5706
                2017
                2017
                : 10
                : 1
                : 69-85
                Affiliations
                [1 ]Department of Physics and The Texas Center for Superconductivity
                [2 ]University of Houston
                [3 ]Houston
                [4 ]USA
                [5 ]Department of Materials Science and Engineering
                Article
                10.1039/C6EE02488B
                6158d174-aae8-4d67-9c89-35ed82e923bc
                © 2017
                History

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